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<.        iiia;^^^308To3l6 

DUGAN  STREET, 

BEL   SPRUCE, 
PHILADEDPHIA. 


EUGENE  DE  KIEFFER'S 


|m 


RULES  IND  REGULimONS. 


i 


thtM 


y 


1. — In  order  to  maintain  the  most  unexceptional  character 
for  the  School,  applicants  unlnown  will  he  required  to  give 
reference. 

2. — All  Lessons  or  Rides  jiaid  for  in  advance.  ■  i 

3. — One  hour  allowed  for  each  Lesson  or  Ride  in  tJte 
School. 

4. — (Mie  hour  and  a  half  for  each  Lesson  on  the  Ri 

5. — Twenty  Tickets  and  upwards,  after  the  first  month 
instruction,*  good  for  three  months  from  the  time  ofpurch 
and  no  longer,  and  not  transferable. 

%.—Road  Lessons  must  be  jf  did  for  extra. 

1. — Lessons  for  Gentlemen  every  day  from  7  toQ  o'clock  A. 
M.,  and  on  Monday,  Wednesday  and  Friday,  from  b  to  1 
P.  M. 

8. — Schools  especially  reserved  for  Ladies  every  day  fro^i 
10  A.  M.  to  1  /*.  M.,  and  on  Monday,  Wednesday  and  Priduy, 
from  Ztob  P.  M. 

9. — No  Lady  or  Gentleman  will  he  admitted  to  any  class 
without  previous  arrangement  with  the  Riding  Master. 

10. — A'o  gentlemen  admitted  during  Ladies'  Practice,  un- 
Uss  introduced  by  lady  present. 

11, — Piipils  shoidd  be  punctual  and  regidar  in  their  attend- 
ance, as  any  loss  of  time  will  he  tlteir  oum.  In  case  of  in- 
tended absence,  notice  shoidd  be  given  in  time  in  advance. 
This  rtd«  will  be  strictly  enforced. 

12. — No  deviation  from  Rides  or  Terms. 

*  It  is  highly  desirable  that  during  the  first  month  the 
lessons  should  be  taken  continuously,  so  that  the  pupils 
may  master  the  first  principles. 

EUGENE  DE  KIEFFER,  ^: 

308  to  316  J>ugan  St.,  below  Sjyrnce, . 

BET.   15th  and  16th  STS.  ►! 


TERMS 


First  course  of  20  Lessons, 

"  "       10        " 


$35.00 
22.00 
00 
Piding  Lesson,  single  Pupil,  half-hour,  ^    4.50 
Exclusive  hours,  2  Pupils,  1  hour,  -^    6.00 


Private,  single  Pupil,  half-hour,  '\    3.( 


^Single  Lesson,  each 


2.25 


30.00 
18.00 
11.00 
7.00 
5.00 
30.00 


}  '"60  Lessons,  (only  after  the  first  month)  85.00 
'  ^Course  of  20  Lessons,  "  " 

■Half  Course  of  10  Lessons,         " 

U-    u        "        "     5        "  -^i 

. 'Eoad  Lesson,  one  person,        .   -    . 
'  "  two  or  more,  each 

110  Leaping  Lessons, 
,       Road  Ride  $4.00  and  if  an  attendant  is  de- 
Vshed  $3.00  extra. 

Road  Horses  sent  to  or  brought  from  the  resi- 
dence of  parties  hiring  will  he  charged  25  cents 
extra. 

Horses  on  Livery,  including  use  of  Riding  Room 
without  Instruction,  $  per  month,  for  use  of 
Saddles,  &e.,  an  extra  charge  will  be  made. 

^This  reduction  will  only  apply  when  the  first 
20  Lessons  are  taken  within  one  month. 


y-- 


EUGENE  DE  EIEFFER, 

Fsrmeriy  an  off.csr  in  ih«  Bavarian  Cavilry,  ar  f 
for  nine  years  instructor  of  Horsemanship  in  O/ 
Hoyal  Riding  School,  Munich.,  jrers  hir.  services 
lo  the  ladies  ai:c  gentlemir,,  of  Philadelphia,  at 
the  Riding  SehcH  in  Tugm  Street,  helow  Sprues 

In  add- -ion  -o  a\  cxverlenee  of  over  jeoent-^en 
years  in  the  miliiarg  service,  Mr,  de  "^-rfer  ha4 
atten'^  1  th"  Fidi.i^  SeK&ok  of  Saxony,  Hanover, 
Jt^i:  ■>,  r.nd  of  ike  ce'^^aied  Baucher  of  P-'^, 

The  jtcUe^  conta  i a  number  of  e .:Ses  ec.c 
f-J'y  sel-i.ted  ^id  tra':^'id  by  Mr.  de  L^ls^ferfur 
the ^Ria-ig  SchoJ.  r ^in  the  Ro'^d.    Pup^l^  viay  de^ 
peid  upon  rgt^Yin."  i:  personni  atter-tion  of  xhe 
Insiri'.  :ir.  who  is  dmhi  in  c  .'..ianc^. 

horsv.    r.U'EN'c.^ii  l'<iAi"MEl>  u;'O^L  th:  :!lQSt 

approved  cj^iems.  .^cidle  lorsesfor  the  road  or 
parai^.^  can  always  I  ol-'-'Sined  at  fm  stablei;. 

Incrij^oiionsgivn  in  the  Sword  £.,':cj'cise  ofCaO' 
airy,  th:  "Manual  of  -he  Sabre,  the  Lance,  and  in 
all  matter^  -Mting  to  KUL-u'y  Horsemanship, 
ui^ludi^g  the  elementary  mstruetich  fvr  Opcers 
of  Cavalry. 

Very  superior  stabling  wlih  P^  ! ''•'*  of  er^^e 
lestowed  upon  Ho^  ,ts  at  livery. 

English,  French  and  German  spoken. 


i 


Wenderoth,  Taylor  &  Brown 


914  Chestnut  St.,  Phila. 


EUGENE  DE  KIEFFER 


PRACTICAL  mSTRUCTIONS 


IN 


HORSEMANSHIP, 


JXCLUDING 


HINTS  FOR  INSTRUCTION,  AN  ESSAY  ON-PROPER  BRIDLING. 
AND  ON  THE  METHOD  OF  CORRECTING  THE  USUAL  DE- 
FECTS IN  THE  WORKING  OF  THE  CURB  REINS 


EUGENE  De  KIEFFER, 

fori\ip:rly  an  officer  in  the  bavarian  ar.my. 

xo\r 
TEACHER   OE   RIUIN^G^  IIST  rtLIL^^DEX^lPIiT^. 


WITH  ILLUSTEATIONS. 


PHILADELPHIA. 
TJUGENE     DE     KIEFFER 

wo.  309  DTJGAN  STREET,    BELOW  SPRUCE,  AND     ABOVE    FIFTEENTH  STREETS. 

JRIDING  SCHOOL  FOR  LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN. 

1868* 


Eiiterred  according  to  Act  of  Congress  A.  D.  1863  by  EUGENE  De  KIEFFERL. 
n  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  U.  S.  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Penn'a 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Preface 1 

SECTION  1. 
Lessons  in  the  Kiding  lioom — General  Eules  for  imparting  In- 
struction— Hints  to  the  Riding  Master 15 

SECTION  2. 
Instruction  in  Kiding  with  the  Snaffle,  and  Guiding  with  both 
Hands— Of  Mounting 19 

SECTION  3. 
Position  and  Seat  on  Horseback 21 

SECTION  4. 
Of  the  Buckling  of  the  Stirrups 27 

SECTION  5. 
On  Dismounting 27 

SECTION  (3. 
Of  the  Action  of  the  Keins 29 

SECTION  7. 
Of  the  Action  of  the  Thighs  and  Legs,  and  of  the  Seat 31 

SECTION  B. 
Of  the  Spur 33 

SECTION  9. 
Of  the  Helps  to  the  different  Gaits,  and  of  the  Guiding  with  the 
Reins  in  general 35 

SECTION  10. 
Of  the  Gaits  of  the  Horse 36 

SECTION  11. 
Of  the  straight  Position  of  the  Horse ;   39 

SECTION  12. 
Of  Kiding  in  a  straight  Line,   and  without  the  Assistance  of  the 
Wall  as  a  Guide 40 

SECTION  13. 
Of  Changing 41 

SECTION  14. 
Of  Trotting 42 

SECTION  15. 
Of  the  Large  Volte 44 

SECTION  10. 
Of  the  Small  Volte 4^ 

SECTION  17. 
Of  the  Changing  short  about 46 


to  the  nature  and  qualification  of  the  animal  he  is  about  to  in- 
struct, and  the  method  best  suited  for  imparting  that  instruc- 
tion. No  one  but  a  rider  of  large  practical  experience  is  com- 
petent to  teach  the  art,  and  it  is  needless  to  say,  that  without 
such  experience,  the  study  of  even  the  best  book  will  be  of  no 
avail. 

The  writers  upon  horsemanship  do  not  all  cover  the  same 
field  of  instruction ;  in  this  art,  as  in  all  others,  there  is  thnt 
diversity  of  opinion  which  is  the  necessary  consequence  of  the 
peculiar  views,  and  even  fancies  of  authors ;  this  diversity  is 
however,  more  apparent  than  real.  It  sometimes  results  from 
ignorance,  sometimes  from  error  in  translation ;  and  very  often 
from  the  incapacity  of  one  author  to  render  intelligible  an  idea 
which  another,  by  a  peculiar  felicity  of  expression  has  made 
clear ;  another  difficulty  in  the  path  of  instruction  is  also  to 
be  found  in  the  fact,  that  most  writers  either  omit  altogether 
to  define  the  necessary  terms  of  their  art,  or,  if  a  definition  be 
attempted,  another  expression  (which  to  the  author  may  seem 
equivalent)  is  used,  to  the  utter  confusion  of  the  student. 
Many  instances  might  be  given  of  this  vice  if  it  were  not  so 
apparent  as  to  render  their  enumeration  unnecessary. 

Among  the  writers  upon  the  art,  the  works  of  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle  and  of  Jacob  Lieb  tell  us  clearly,  how  according  to 
their  methods,  a  horse  may  be  forced  into  obedience  to  his 
rider  La  Guerroniere  gives  us  a  course  of  systematic  instruc- 
tion with  special  reference  to  the  gracefulness  of  the  trained 
horse  as  well  as  that  of  the  rider.  Iluenersdorf  recommends 
a  kind  and  patient  treatment,  and  is  opposed  to  the  violent 
and  coercive  measures  of  some  other  authors,  and  finally,  the 
n-reat  works  of  Baucher  keep  constantly  in  view  the  attain- 
ment of  a  perfect  suppleness  in  the  horse  as  a  result  of  the 
equilibrium  of  the  fore  and  rear  part  of  his  frame.  This 
Writer  teaches  clearly  how  by  kindness  and  patience  a  perfect 
correspondence  may  be  produced  between  the  horse  and  his 
rider,  which  idea  is  admirably  described  by  Shakespear  who 
Speaks  of  a  skillful  horseman  as  being  '^incorpsed  and  demi^ 
natured  with  the  brave  beast." 


No  writer  prior  to  the  appearance  of  the  works  of  Bauchcr 
has  furuished  us  with  any  fixed  principles  of  training.  Their 
essays  are  chiefly  devoted  to  inculcating  peculiar  ideas  founded 
upon  the  personal  experience  of  each  author;  but  they  do  not 
favour  us  with  any  principle  of  such  general  application  as  to 
ensure  the  success  of  the  student.  Baucher  was  not  satisfied 
(as  were  the  elder  authors)  with  metely  attesting  the  results, 
as  they  occured  in  his  large  experience,  but  he  pushed  his  in- 
quiries into  the  causes  of  these  results,  and  it  is  this  rational 
method  of  treating  the  subject  which  has  given  to  his  w^orks 
the  wide-spread  influence  which  they  deservedly  command. 

Let  it  not  be  imagined  that  Baucher  is  a  mere  theorist;  no 
attentive  student  of  his  works  can  fail  to  see,  that  he  inculcates 
the  necessity  of  a  constant  and  varied  prac^/ce  in  riding,  as  the 
only  certain  mode  of  reaching  the  results,  the  causes  of  which 
he  has  from  his  own  practical  experience  clearly  explained  to  us. 

If  I  might  venture  to  compress  the  instructions  of  Baucher 
into  a  few  words,  I  would  say,  that  the  object  he  has  in  view, 
is  to  acquire  the  entire  obedience  of  the  horse  to  the  will  of 
the  rider,  by  means  of  the  combined  action  of  the  reins  and 
the  legs,  and  that  such  means  must,  to  reach  the  desired  re- 
sult, be  carefully  adapted  to  the  peculiarities  whether  of  frame 
or  temper  of  each  horse,  but  in  all  cases  are  to  be  practised 
with  patience,  moderation,  perseverance,  and  firmness.  These 
means  Baucher  calls  his  3Iefhode. 

Before  Baucher,  no  writer  had  proclaimed  a  rational  Meth- 
ode,  but  each  rider  was,  even  after  an  attentive  study  of  the 
earlier  authors,  left  to  such  accidental  correspondence  between 
his  horse  and  himself,  as  sooner  or  later  will  ensue  from  mo- 
tives of  mutual  convenience,  and  without  the  aid  of  any  theory 
on  the  subject,  and  even  without  the  knowledge  of  the  mode 
in  which  it  has  been  attained.  Baucher  has  settled  the  prin- 
ciples by  which  this  result  can  be  reached,  and  these  princi- 
ples are  the  basis  of  his  Metliode. 

Attention  to  these  principles  will  not  only  accomplish  their 
object  in  a  period  much  shorter  than  that  required  for  the  ac- 
cidental results  above  spoken  of,  but  will  furnish  the  horse- 


man  with  that  which  is  equally  satisfactory  to  hiui,  namely 
the  reasons  which  are  the  foundation  for  such  principles  or 
Meihode. 

The  Methode  of  Baucher  is  one  of  progress  step  by  step,  from 
the  most  simple  demands  upon  the  obedience  of  the  horse  to 
the  most  difficult,  being  careful  to  perfect  the  horse  in  each 
gradation  before  passing  to  the  next;  a  disregard  of  this  im- 
portant rule  will  destroy  all  the  benefits  of  previous  training. 

In  most  of  the  cases  in  which  the  system  of  Baucher  has 
appeared  to  fail,  it  will  be  found,  either  that  it  has  not  been 
understood,  or  that  the  instructor  has  intentionally  deviated 
from  the  order  and  succession  of  treating  the  various  resist- 
ances of  the  horse.  These  deviations  are  so  natural  as  to  be 
almost  unavoidable.  The  art  of  riding  has  been  practiced  from 
the  earliest  days,  and  so  much  has  been  ignorantly  written  on 
the  subject,  that  the  practical  man  is  opposed  to  all  theories ) 
add  to  this,  the  infirmity  natural  to  all  men  to  assume,  that 
they  are  beyond  the  reach  of  education  in  this  art,  and  we 
shall  readily  perceive  how  difficult  it  is  to  give  the  system  of 
Baucher  a  trial  according  to  the  directions  of  the  author,  and 
no  other  trial  is  fair  to  any  party.  In  all  other  arts  and  ac- 
complishments men  are  not  above  admitting  their  deficiency, 
but  to  doubt  one's  horsemansliip,  even  though  it  may  be  the 
result  of  but  a  dozen  mounts,  is  an  insult  quite  equal  to  that 
of  aspersing  honour.  It  is  singular  to  what  expense  and  trouble 
a  man  will  go  to  induce  the  belief  that  he  is  a  horseman  ]  he 
will  buy  an  assortment  of  heavy  and  cruel  spurs,  and  whips  ; 
saddles,  bridles  &c.,  &c.,  and  these  will  be  so  ostentationaly 
paraded  that  to  question  that  the  owner  is  a  first  rate  horse- 
man requires  more  incredulity  than  can  be  commanded  in  the 
face  of  such  a  costly  array  of  trappings.  These  considerations 
tend  to  show,  that  in  teaching  the  art  of  horsemansJiip,  we 
have  more  natural  obstacles  to  encounter,  than  we  have  in  the 
instruction  in  any  other  branch.  These  obstacles  are  met  with 
in  experienced  as  well  as  in  inexperienced  riders;  in  the  form- 
er, they  arise  from  prejudice — a  long  habit  of  educating  horses 
in  a  peculiar  way,  and  a  selfsatisfying  assumption  that  they 


are  beyond  the  reacli  of  instruction  ;  in  the  latter,  they  are 
mainly  caused  by  a  reluctance  to  admit  ignorance  of  the  noble 
art  by  submitting  to  receive  instructions  in  it. 

The  object  of  both  the  old  and  new  schools  is  to  obtain 
obedience  on  the  part  of  the  horse  to  the  will  of  the  rider,  the 
new  school  differing  from  the  old,  in  discarding  force  and  se- 
verity as  the  means,  and  substituting  therefor,  gentleness  and 
kindness,  accompanied  hov/cver,  by  firmness  preseverance  and 
above  all,  by  good  temper. 

The  chapter  of  Baucher  in  which  he  treats  of  the  use  of 
the  spur — dcs  attaqncs,  has  met  with  an  opposition  which 
is  now  fortunately  disappearing  in  the  light  of  experience. 
The  old  school  generally  regarded  the  spur  only  as  a  means  of 
punishment,  while  the  new  treats  it  as  an  aid  and  gentle  stim- 
ulant. 

Lieutenant  General  de  Williseu  of  the  Prussian  Army,  who 
wrote  before  Baucher,  says  however,  ^'I  have  mastered  many 
horses  with  the  aid  of  the  spur  which  were  thought  untamable, 
being  guided  by  the  system  of  Jacob  Lieb  in  his  arte  di  Ca- 
valkria  in  which  in  speaking  of  the  use  of  the  spur  he  says, 
you  must  not  be  satisfied  with  three  applications  of  the  spur, 
nor  with  five,  nor  with  seven,  nor  with  eleven,  but,  I  say 
you  must  apply  it  as  often  as  is  necessary  to  attain  the  ob- 
ject." 

Thus,  before  the  appearance  of  Baucher's  works,  I  was  from 
an  acquaintance  with  the  authors  I  have  referred  to,  familiar 
with  the  use  of  the  spur  in  the  mode  which  was  subsequently 
taught  with  more  precision  by  Baucher,  and  I  appreciated  the 
fact,  that  the  spur  was  available  to  education  in  horsemanship, 
not  as  a  punishment,  but  as  an  aid  and  stimulant;  it  is  in 
fact,  the  mere  ticMing  of  the  flanks  with  the  spur,  or  indeed 
its  more  approach,  that  results  in  the  most  dclii-nto  }»crcoption 
l)y  the  rider  of  the  sensitiveness  and  correspondence  of  the 
flanks  to  each  m.otion  of  the  leg.  The  new  school  teachings 
reach  this  desirable  result  more  surely  and  sooner  than  those 
of  the  old,  because  the  spur  is  not  used  so  violently  as  to  cause 
alarm 


Many  instances  of  the  merit  of  the  new  school  have  fallen 
under  my  notice^  among  them  I  will  mention  that  of  a  high- 
spirited,  thorough-bred  Gelding  which  appeared  to  be  quiet, 
and  to  answer  all  ordinary  demands  upon  him,  but  without 
gracefulness  or  ease  either  in  the  body  or  limbs.  This  horse 
fell  into  the  hands  of  an  inexperienced  person,  who  pursuing 
the  old  method  of  training,  began  by  attempting  to  reduce  by 
leg  and  spur,  the  hind  limbs  to  obedience,  hefore  the  forehand 
had  been  educated  according  to  the  system  of  Baucher.  The 
result  was,  that  the  animal  resisted  violently,  :\t  first  by  kick- 
ing at  each  touch  of  the  spur,  and  even  at  the  approach  of 
the  leg,  and  finally  by  incessant  kicking  at  each  chirrup  (^f  the 
rider.  The  horse  at  this  period  of  his  troubles  fell  into  my 
hands  and  was  furiously  excited  at  every  touch  of  the  spur, 
kicking,  hollaing  and  squealing, — backing  and  plunging  for- 
cibly, and  without  intermission  of  his  efforts;  the  result  was 
that  he  fell  into  a  feverish  state  demanding  care  and  rest. 

This  horse  had  been  severely  treated  previously  by  applica- 
tions of  the  Pillars  and  Sj^anish  Riders  ;  these  severities  hav- 
ing failed.  I  had  recourse  to  the  Pirouette  Ren  verse  ;  the  spur 
being  applied  in  this  movement,  the  horse  by  kindness  and  firm- 
ness, was  brought  to  a  willing  obedience,  and  became  light  in 
hand  as  well  as  responsive  in  the  flanks.  The  irritability  in 
the  stable  and  when  mounted  soon  disappeared,  the  position 
improved,  the  back  received  the  rider  without  roacliing,  the 
hinder  limbs  became  active  and  supple  in  answer  to  the  spur, 
under  the  constant  practice  of  the  Pirouette  Renverse.  Thus, 
in  the  course  of  two  or  three  months,  I  obtained  the  fullest 
serviceableness  of  the  most  obstinate  horse  I  have  met  with 
in  a  long  experience.  This  animal  was  sold  to  an  old  gentle- 
man, who  rode  him  with  safety  and  satisfaction  for  a  long 
tirr.e. 

In  the  study  of  ]>aucher's  works  it  must  constantly  be  borne 
in  mind,  that  he  has  said,  that  he  wrote  only  for  accomplished 
riders,  in  no  case  can  his  works,  except  under  the  guidance  of 
a  good  instructor,  be  of  use  to  the  raw  pupil.  The  instruc- 
tions presuppose  in  the  rider  a  good  hand  and  seat,  and  it  is 


only  to  such,  that  the  teachings  of  Baucher  will  be  useful  or 
indeed  intelligible.  It  is  difficult  to  define,  what  constitutes  a 
good  hand  and  seat;  all  however  Avho  possess  these  indispen- 
sable accomplishments  Avell  know  what  they  are,  and  to  such 
alone  the  writings  of  Baucher  are  addressed.  These  ({ualifica- 
tions  can  only  be  acquired  by  experience,  to  the  aid  of  which 
conies  the  study  of  the  tlteori/,  teaching  the  rider  the  reason 
of  that,  which  previously  he  may  have  ai^tributed  to  accident, 
and  enabling  him  successfully  to  apply  the  principles  of  the 
art  in  all  cases. 

If  these  considerations  be  borne  in  mind,  we  shall  see  how 
utterly  groundless  is  the  aspersion,  that  the  system  of  Bau- 
cher makes  mere  room-riders,  for  we  know  from  his  works 
that  he  requires  a  long  and  general  out-door  experience  to  fit 
the  pupil  for  even  the  understanding  of  his  theory. 

The  system  of  Baucher  is  not  entirely  new,  though  it  is  fjir 
better  and  furnishes  a  more  certain  and  speedy  success  than 
any  of  its  predecessors;  and  here,  I  may  remark,  that  his 
phrase  of  "instinctive  opposition"  conveys  no  novel  idea,  but 
is  simply  a  clear  and  concise  definition  of  a  quality  with  which 
horsemen  have  been  long  familiar.  Thus  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle, whose  writings  have  had  a  world  wide  celebrity,  based 
his  treatment  upon  the  opposition  of  the  instincts. 

But  this  writer,  when  he  tells  us  that  no  horse  had  ever  per- 
formed to  his  entire  satisfaction,  shows  that  he  had  but  a  faint 
glimmering  of  what  was  subsequently  so  well  developed  by 
Baucher,  by  the  light  of  w4iose  teaching  all  attempts  at  the 
coercive  system  were  thrown  into  the  shade. 

By  long  and  attentive  observation,  Baucher  learned  that  all 
the  oppositions  of  the  horse,  whether  to  the  hand  or  leg,  were 
rather  instinctive  than  vicious,  and  hence  were  not  to  be  pun- 
ished, but  were  to  be  overcome  by  kindness,  patience,  and 
firmness ;  upon  this  valuable  discovery,  force  and  violence 
Avere  no  longer  practised  by  intelligent  horsemen,  and  the  use 
of  the  pillars  and  Spanish  riders,  and  other  instruments  of 
punishment  and  torture  was  discarded. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  system  of  Baucher  pro- 


8      

poses  to  obtaiD  obedience  simply  by  kindness,  he  has  explained 
this  intelligibly  when  he  says,  that  such  resistance  as  was  pure- 
ly iiistinctive,  he  met  by  patient  and  continued  applications  of 
the  hand  and  legs,  accompanied  by  the  Qnihl  use  of  the  whip ; 
this  treatment  caused  no  pain  or  alarm  to  the  horse,  which  af- 
ter the  instinctive  redstance  had  been  conquered,  found  obe- 
dience to  the  hand  and  legs  the  most  comfortable  position  for 
himself  as  well  as  for  the  rider.  The  horse  in  his  natural  state 
has  no  necessity  for  the  combined  use  of  certain  muscles,  and 
it  is  the  object  of  teaching  to  develop  this  combination,  the 
successful  result  of  this  teaching,  is  suppleness  of  all  parts  of 
the  body,  and  this  must  necessarily  greatly  conduce  to  the 
comfort  of  the  horse. 

The  imposition  on  the  back  of  a  horse  of  the  weight  of  a 
man  and  saddle  very  materially  disturbs  his  centre  of  gravity, 
and  these  disturbances  are  as  variable  as  are  the  weights  of 
riders  and  the  part  of  the  horse  upon  which  that  weight  is 
thrown.  Thus,  one  who  rides  on  his/or^-,  with  long  stirrups, 
throws  his  weight  on  a  different  part  of  the  horse's  frame  from 
that  which  bears  it  in  the  English  hunting  seat.  Suppleness 
may  be  said  to  be  the  complete  adaptation  of  the  mounted  horse 
to  the  various  disturbances  of  his  equilibrium,  some  of  which 
we  have  mentioned,  and  indeed  suppleness  is  eqinlihrium,  in 
its  largest  sense.  From  these  remarks  it  will  be  seen,  that  to 
reach  the  perfection  of  the  art,  the  rider  must  be  supple  as 
well  as  the  horse,  for  it  is  perhaps  a  more  unnatural  position 
for  a  man  to  sit  on  a  horse,  than  it  is  for  the  horse,  in  a  state 
of  nature,  to  bear  the  weight  of  the  rider. 

Another  great  advantage  of  the  Mtthode  of  Baueher  is,  that 
by  it,  the  object  in  view  is  accomplished  in  a  much  shorter  time 
than  by  any  other  system.  For  cavalry  training,  the  system  is 
invaluable,  for  it  enables  the  officer  in  command,  to  know  pre- 
cisely what  his  troop  is  capable  of  performing.  There  were 
many  objections  made  to  the  system  of  Baueher  as  applicable 
to  cavalry  instruction,  but  it  is  believed  that  time  and  experi- 
ence have  removed  them  all.  The  old  fashioned  mode  of  train- 
ing cavalry  had  no  regard  to  the  efficiency  of  the  single  rider, 


the  practice  began  and  ended  with  the  movements  of  sqnads 
and  divisions,  and  thus  the  cavah-y-man  was  totally  unprepared 
for  the  oft  occurring  necessities  of  single  combat  A  horseman 
who  cannot  act  independently  of  the  division,  is  as  useless  as 
an  infantry-man  who  cannot  stand  without  the  support  of  his 
comrade 

If  the  chiefs  of  squadrons  were  asked  as  to  the  number  of 
men  in  their  commands  fitted  for  single  encounter,  a  truthful 
answer  would  show  a  very  small  percentage  up  to  the  mark. 
The  efficiency  of  the  troop  depends  entirely  upon  the  confi- 
dence and  knowledge  of  each  individual  horseman,  and  any 
training  which  does  not  attain  this,  is  radically  defective. 

It  has  been  alleged  against  the  system  of  Bauchcr  that  it 
has  been  tried  in  many  cases  without  beneficial  results ;  but  a 
careful  analysis  of  these  instances  will  show  that  the  Methode 
of  Baucher,  was  not  followed  in  them.  It  will  appear  either 
that  the  gradations  of  his  method  were  only  partially  observed 
or  that  some  step  has  been  altogether  omitted,  and  thus,  the 
results  of  suppleness  and  obedience  were  fatally  endangered 
by  precipitation  on  the  part  of  the  uninformed  instructor. 

If  the  forehand  and  croupe  of  the  horse  be  subjected  to 
obedience  to  the  will  of  the  rider,  or  as  Baucher  calls  it,  cu- 
rapport,  the  vices  of  kicking  and  rearing,  are  entirely  controll- 
able, because  the  rider  can  at  pleasure  place  the  weight  of  the 
horse  either  forward  or  backward.  A  horse  cannot  kick  with- 
out throwing  the  preponderance  of  weight,  ^or  the  centre  of 
gravity  forward,  nor  can  he  rear  without  bringing  the  same 
centre  hachward,  and  it  follows  necessarily  that  a  system, 
which  like  Baucher's,  controls  this  centre  by  means  of  the 
hand  and  leg,  is  also  master  of  the  vices  which  a  change  in 
the  centre  by  the  mere  volition  of  the  horse,  would  occasion. 

The  education  therefore  of  the  rider  is  as  necessary  as  that 
of  the  horse,  and  the  attention  given  by  Baucher  to  the  prosier 
use  of  the  hands  and  legs  at  the  begining  of  the  instructions, 
will  soon  show  that  the  time  has  not  been  misspent.  In  order 
to  accomplish  this,  the  pupil  must  be  mounted  at  first  upon  a 
thoroughly  trained  horse,  and  this  practice  will  rapidly  teach 


10     

by  experiment  all  that  is  required  in  the  education  of  a  horse 
not  so  well  trained.  It  is  apparent,  that  if  after  the  study  of 
the  theory,  a  student  be  put  upon  a  horse  trained  in  the  school 
of  his  studies,  he  will  be  enabled  by  practice  to  appreciate  the 
value  of  the  precepts  he  has  been  taught. 

The  teachings  of  Baucher  in  regard  to  the  correct  use  of 
the  hand  are  also  not  new.  Count  Pembroke  says,  "the  best 
"hand  is  that  which  does  its  part  with  least  expenditure  of 
"strength,  the  hand  must  be  light  and  sensitive  but  never 
"wanting  in  firmness."  There  are  three  rules  to  be  observed 
in  regard  to  the  use  of  the  hand — 

1.  While  standing  or  in  motion,  the  hand  should  be  li<jht. 

2.  While  aiding  the  horse,  it  should  be  sensitive. 

3.  When  obedience  is  desired,  the  hand  should  be  Jirm. 
These  rules  all  presuppose,  that  the  seat  of  the  rider  is  so 

firm,  that  the  involuntary  motions  of  the  body  can  have  no  ef- 
fect upon  the  hand,  which  must  be  gentle  and  active,  in  order 
not  to  fret  the  horse.  A  light  hand  enables  the  horse  to  re- 
spond to  it  without  disturbing  his  balance  or  temper ;  when 
however,  the  horse  becomes  disobedient,  or  when  it  is  required 
to  make  short  turns  or  passages,  the  hand  must  be  firm  and 
steady. 

The  importance  and  value  of  an  educated  hand  must  be 
familiar  to  every  intelligent  rider,  it  is  indispensable  for  safe 
and  bold  riding ;  quick  and  clean  turns  can  only  be  accom- 
plished by  a  light,  firm  and  steady  hand. 

Numerous  authorities  attest  the  truth  of  these  remarks.  M. 
de  la  Broue  says,  "le  cheval  bien  dresse,  doit  attendre  la  main." 
The  well  trained  horse  does  not  dare  to  move  without  the  vo- 
lition and  necessary  assistance  of  the  rider,  and  thus,  such  a 
horse  "stands  at  the  rein."  Baron  Weyrotter  defines  this,  when 
he  says,  a  horse  which  "stands  at  the  rein,"  neither  attempts 
to  force  the  hand,  nor  to  withdraw  from  it  when  standing  or 
moving.  This  result  must  be  produced  gradually,  and  the 
horse  be  first  instructed  in  standing,  and  in  this  position 
should  neither  force  the  hand  nor  retreat  from  it,  when  this 


—  11   — 

point  is  gained  he  slioulcl  be  taught  to  give  the  same  attention 
to  the  hand  when  in  motion.  A  perfect  obedience  to  hand 
and  leg  ensures  lightness  and  suppleness^  and  a  thorough  cor- 
respondence of  the  frame  of  the  horse  with  the  will  of  the 
rider. 

It  is  impossible  to  lay  clown  any  rules  of  universal  applica- 
tion, so  much  depends  upon  the  variations  in  the  build  and 
temper  of  horses,  and  advice  in  treatment  must  be  sought 
from  a  skilful  and  experienced  instructor.  However  the 
means  may  be  adapted  to  peculiarities  of  frame  and  temper, 
the  training  to  be  satisfactory,  must  result  in  the  ability  of  the 
rider  to  produce  by  his  hand  and  legs,  a  correspondence  be- 
tween the  fore  and  rear  parts  of  the  horse,  or  to  preserve 
what  is  called  "the  balance  of  the  horse."  The  most  spirited 
and  obstinate  horses,  and  as  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  says,  "the 
confused  horses,"  will  by  correct  training,  with  a  good  hand, 
be  forced  to  obedience  and  to  light  stepping. 

The  course  of  treatment  we  have  indicated,  is  taught  alone 
by  the  system  of  Baucher.  He  tells  us,  that  when  the  "horse 
"is  mounted,  he  should  only  be  permitted  to  move  according 
"to  the  force  applied."  It  would  be  erroneous  to  suppose, 
that  more  importance  is  to  be  attached  to  the  handj  than  to 
the  legs  of  the  rider;  the  consequence  of  the  combined  action 
of  these  two  forces,  should  be  (as  we  have  said)  to  place  the 
horse  in  an  equtlihriwn  which  is  entirely  subject  to  the  con- 
trol of  the  horseman.  The  least  degree  of  force,  either  by 
hand  or  leg,  should  produce  a  corresponding  result,  but  quick 
and  easy  evolution,  can  only  be  accomplished  by  the  combined 
and  cooperating  action  of  both  hand  and  leg. 

From  what  has  been  briefly  said,  it  will  be  evident  that  a 
well  trained  horse  and  rider  can  only  be  the  combined  result 
of  theory  and  practice;  much  good  can  undoubtedly  be  accom- 
plished by  mere  study,  but  unless  it  be  put  to  practical  use, 
and  the  student  be  stimulated  by  the  exhiliration  and  emula- 
tion of  testing  his  theories  on  living  models,  no  valuable  end 
can  be  attained. 

I  have  before  adverted  to  the  advantage  of  training  for  cav- 


12     

airy  purposes.  The  education  of  the  horse  for  this  branch  of 
the  military  service  is  by  far  the  most  difficult  problem  which 
the  teacher  has  to  master ;  on  the  success  of  his  instructions 
depend  frequently  the  consequences  of  victory  or  defeat.  There 
are  exceptional  cases,  in  which  comparatively  uninstructed  bod- 
ies of  cavalry  have  produced  great  results,  but  it  will  always  be 
found  that  such  bodies  were  chiefly  composed  of  horsemen  who 
by  long  practice  had  acquired  without  precept,  a  habit  of  fear- 
less riding.  Thus  in  speaking  of  the  cavalry  officers  of  Freder- 
ick the  Great,  under  the  command  of  Seydlitz )  Behrenhorst 
says,  "they  were  active  and  daring  road  and  hunting  riders, 
'^and  being  thus  prepared  for  the  duty,  they  attained  a  success 
"in  leading  their  troops  into  action,  which  has  never  since  been 
"equalled."  Their  experience  in  riding  as  hunters,  across  the 
country,  taught  them  to  estimate  correctly  the  ability  of  their 
horses,  the  same  practice  enabled  them  to  select  at  a  glance 
the  best  route,  and  having  made  the  selection  to  pursue  it 
without  heeding  any  impediment.  It  was  a  principle  in  the 
training  of  these  troops,  that  a  good  rein  and  good  rider  could 
accomplish  anything,  while  the  mere  theorist  in  the  art,  moves 
on  one  leg  only. 

The  value  of  a  method  for  the  education  of  cavalry,  should 
be  estimated  by  efficiency  in  actual  service,  this  efficiency  de- 
pends upon  training,  and  the  activity,  ((uickness  and  perseve- 
rance of  each  individual  rider.  Without  these  qualifications 
cavalry  is  a  mere  burthen  to  an  army,  but  with  them,  it  is  a 
means  of  decisive  advantage  and  success. 

A  result  of  great  importance  which  flows  from  training,  has 
not  been  noticed,  it  consists  in  husbanding  the  strength  of  the 
horse,  or,  as  the  English  hunters  express  it,^not  taking  more 
out  of  him  than  the  occasion  demands.  A  system  which  like 
that  of  l^aucher,  subjects  the  horse  to  the  will  of  the  rider,  ac- 
complishes this  end  in  all  cases  in  which  the  intelligence  of 
the  rider  is  sufficient  to  correctly  estimate  the  extent  of  the 
demands  he  is  about  to  make  upon  the  powers  of  the  liorse. 

An  opinion  has  gained  some  ground  among  hunters,  that 
there  is  no  value  in  a  system  of  training  which  like  that  of 


13 

iiuuclier,  developes  all  tlie  powers  of  the  horse  and  subjeets 
them  to  the  will  of  the  rider.  This  must  surely  be  the  result 
of  either  ignorance  or  prejudice,  for  experience  has  fully  shown 
that  the  trained  horse  is  more  capable  of  meeting  the  demands 
of  the  field,  because  his  resources  are  never  expended  fruitless- 
ly, but  in  exact  proportion  to  the  necessities  of  the  case,  thus 
retaining  in  the  horse  (so  to  speak)  that  large  fund  of  power 
which  in  the  untrained  animal  would  be  expended  in  wanton 
and  useless  exertions. 

When  I  joined  the  cavalry,  the  horses  v/hich  were  rejected, 
had  suffered  from  injury  to  their  hind  legs,  this  was  the  natu- 
ral result  of  the  quick  turns  on  the  croupe  as  well  as  the  con- 
stant habit  of  riding  in  a  tico  heat  gallop,  interrupted  by  fre- 
quent and  sudden  halts.  Now,  the  rejected  horses  are  those 
which  have  suffered  in  the  fore  legs,  this  is  caused  by  imper- 
fect training  of  the  forehand,  the  result  of  which  is,  that  the 
hind  parts  outweigh  the  fore,  or  in  other  words  there  is  no 
equilibrium  between  the  parts,  the  neck  and  jaw  have  not 
been  sufHciently  suppled,  and  the  horse  acquires  a  clumsy 
and  blundering  action  in  his  forelegs,  which  ends  in  injury. 
These  results  would  never  have  occurred  if  the  cavalry  officers 
had  been  competent  for  their  duties. 

It  is  needless  to  add,  that  riding  is  a  great  promotor  of 
health.  The  beneficial  character  of  this  exercise  is  apj^arent 
throughout  England,  not  only  in  its  effect  upon  the  national 
health,  but  upon  the  character  of  the  people.  It  stimulates 
the  desire  for  manly  contests,  and  creates  the  desirable  quali- 
ties of  coolness  and  determination. 

Tn  the  heat  of  the  chase,  when  the  best  route  must  be  se> 
lected  at  a  glance,  and  steadily  adhered  to,  in  disregard  of  all 
intervening  obstacles;  rcsoJufir/n  is  the  necessary  qualification 
of  the  accomplished  hunter,  and  this  should  also  be  eminently 
true  of  the  cavalry  oflficer  in  action. 


SECTION  1. 

Lessons  in  the  Riding  Room, 

Tu  attempt  to  demonstrate  the  importance  of  riding  would 
be  superfluous.  Good  riding  consists  not  only  in  the  ability 
of  the  rider  to  keep  his  seat  on  the  horse,  but  in  being  able 
to  guide  and  handle  him  in  all  emergencies.  To  attain  this 
end  in  the  simplest  way  and  in  the  shortest  possible  time, — 
to  adapt  it  to  the  comprehension,  and  to  the  physical  confor- 
mation of  different  persons,  is  the  object  of  teaching  the  art  of 
horsemanship.  But  few  persons  are  fitted  for  the  study  of  the 
science  of  riding  in  its  higher  branches,  which  therefore  are 
not  embraced  in  this  work. 

In  general,  the  instruction  in  the  riding  school  has  for  its 
principal  object  to  make  the  rider  so  expert,  that  he  may  know 
how,  by  means  of  the  different  helps,  to  prepare  his  horse  for, 
and  to  execute,  all  possible  evolutions — how  to  follow  up  these 
helps  with  decision  and  adroitness — to  maintain  the  position 
of  the  upper  body  and  of  the  arms,  and  to  do  all  this  with  the 
least  fatigue,  and,  in  the  military  service,  so  as  to  facilitate  the 
management  of  weapons. 

The  instructor  should  make  it  a  rule  never  to  pass  from  one 
lesson  or  exercise  to  another,  until  the  first  has  been  well  un* 
derstood  and  executed. 

General  Rules  for  imparting  Instruction. 

Correct  judgment,  composure,  patience  and  gentle  treatment 
are  essential  requisites  of  a  teacher.  Neither  rider  nor  horse 
should  be  fatigued.  An  experienced  and  accomplished  teacher 
will  never  suffer  himself  to  be  carried  away  by  temper,  nor  re- 
quire more  either  of  rider  or  of  horse  than  they  are  able  to 
accomplish. 

The  instruction  must  therefore  be  carried  forward  in  exact 
proportion  to  the  progress  of  the  pupil. 


16     

To  go  through  with  the  different  evolutious  aud  passages, 
without  the  necessary  primary  instructions,  is  not  only  useless, 
but  detrimental. 

Besides  being  well  informed  as  to  the  mode  of  taking  care 
of  his  horse,  the  beginner  should  be  taught  how  to  saddle  and 
bridle  him ;  and  in  order  to  this,  he  should  be  familiar  with 
the  different  parts  of  the  saddle  and  bridle. 

In  the  first  place,  he  should  be  made  familiar  with  the  dif- 
ferent evolutions  on  foot,  (especially  for  military  service)  as 
he  will  thereby  acquire  a  more  natural  and  easy  bearing,  which 
lays  the  foundation  for  a  quicker  acquiring  of  horsemanship. 

To  be  able  to  jump  on  a  horse  contributes  materially  to  an 
easy  and  well  settled  seat,  and  gives  the  rider  the  activity  so 
much  desired.  This  exercise  should  be  practised  by  the  be- 
ginner both  with  and  without  the  saddle,  and  without  a  spring- 
ing board. 

There  are  other  exercises  which  may  be  practised  on  foot, 
and  which  have  a  value  in  enabling  the  rider  to  acquire  a  good 
seat : — They  are 

Bringing  back  and  lowering  the  shoulder  blades  by  crossing 
the  arms  behind  the  back. 

Turning  the  wrists  with  closed  fingers. 

Taking  a  position  with  the  legs  wide  apart,  the  toes  being 
t  arned  inwards,  and  the  feet  kept  parallel. 

Bending  of  the  knees,  lowering  and  raising  of  the  upper 
body,  by  which  the  necessary  flexibility  of  the  knees  and  the 
diagonal  position  of  the  hips  are  produced. 

By  placing  the  reins  in  the  hands  of  the  beginner  on  foot, 
and  explaining  to  him  the  position  and  movements  of  the 
hands  in  guiding,  and  the  use  of  the  legs,  many  ideas  are 
given  to  him  before  he  is  put  on  horseback.  This  is  more  cer- 
tainly accomplished  if  a  well  instructed  rider  upon  a  thorough- 
ly trained  horse  is  brought  in,  when  the  saddling  and  bridling 
may  be  shown,  and  the  art  of  horsemanship  exactly  and  com- 
prehensibly explained  by  example,  so  as  to  save  much  time 
afterwards,  and  facilitate  the  labor  of  the  teacher,  who  is  only 


17 

required  to  give  the  beginner  a  hint  to  remind  him  of  what 
he  ought  to  do. 

All  the  primary  exercises  should  be  such  as  to  inspire  the 
rider  with  confidence  in  himself  as  well  as  in  his  horse,  and 
only  such  horses  should  be  given  him  as  are  quiet  and  well 
trained,  the  better  to  prevent  the  chance  of  his  falling  off. 

As  soon  as  the  instructor  perceives  that  the  beginner  is  be- 
coming loose  in  his  seat,  he  must  order  a  halt,  or  a  walk,  as 
with  every  fall  he  gets  a  beginner  loses  more  and  more  cou- 
rage and  confidence;  besides  which,  an  accident  might  com- 
pel him  to  withdraw  from  instruction. 

Riding  without  stirrups  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  as  it 
tends  to  impart  a  firm  and  settled  seat ;  but  it  must  not  be 
practised  before  the  pupil  is  able  to  sit  steady  in  trotting.  If 
permitted  to  ride  without  stirrups  in  the  beginning  he  will 
either  hang  on  the  reins,  or  grasp  the  horse  with  all  his  power 
to  avoid  coming  down;  which  not  only  soon  exhausts  him,  but 
postpones  the  acquiring  of  a  free  and  easy  seat. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  instruction  the  rider  should  be  par- 
ticularly taught  in  what  manner  the  steps  of  the  horse  succeed 
each  other  in  every  gait,  so  that  he  may  acquire  the  feeling 
of  his  regular  step,  and  learn  to  suit  the  helps  to  the  move- 
ments. 

All  exercises  in  the  riding  room  shoukl  first  be  taught  in 
the  walk,  and  afterwards  practised  in  trot  or  gallop. 

A  lively  and  steady  Walk  should  always  be  kept  up. 

A  Trot  to  be  perfect  should  be  determined  free,  united, 
even  and  with  an  extended  stride. 

The  Gallop  must  be  quiet,  gathered,  with  a  proper  stride, 
and  not  too  elevated. 

In  each  difi'erent  gait,  the  horse's  steps  should  beat  a  regu- 
lar Cadence  or  Time,  which  is  called  the  tempo;  and  this  must 
be  such,  that  a  horse  of  average  power  can  hold  out  for  some 
time;  and  that  quietness,  resoluteness,  and  quickness  in  evc- 
lutions  may  not  be  lost  sight  of. 

All  the  exercises  should  be  ridden  with  the  snaffle  l»j 'ore 
the  rider  attempts  to  use  the  Curb-bit,  (keeping  the  reins  iq 


18     

one  hand) ',  and  the  latter  should  only  be  allowed  when  he 
understands  the  guiding  both  with  the  snaffle  and  with  the 
bit,  and  when  he  possesses  a  firm  seat. 

The  horse  must  therefore  be  provided  with  a  snaffle,  and 
the  rider  must  be  first  instructed  in  its  use.  By  holding  a 
rein  in  each  h;md,  not  only  is  an  even  position  of  the  shoul- 
ders and  hips  obtained,  but  also  a  ready  understanding  of  the 
action  of  the  reins.  The  inner  rein  determines  the  direction 
the  horse  is  to  take, — the  outer  one  the  width  of  it.  Besides 
this,  the  horse's  mouth  is  not  so  easily  spoiled  by  the  use  of 
the  snaffle. 

With  this  view  the  following  lessons  have  been  arranged  in 
gradual  succession  for  the  thorough  training  of  the  young 
rider,  in  reference  first  to  guiding  with  both  hands,  and  after- 
ward to  the  use  of  the  curb. 

In  the  earlier  exercises  it  is  advisable  for  the  teacher  to 
permit  his  scholars  to  ride  in  small  divisions,  with  distances, 
to  give  them  an  unrestrained  and  firm  seat,  and  a  proper  idea 
of  correct  guiding ;  and  after  they  have  acquired  some  securi- 
ty and  self-possession  in  the  seat  and  in  guiding,  he  may  be- 
gin with  the  turnings.  An  experienced  teacher  can  instruct 
a  class  of  from  four  to  six  pupils  at  one  and  the  same  time. 
Only  one  teacher  can  profitably  attend  to  a  class,  large  or 
small,  during  the  lessons. 

The  judgment  of  the  teacher,  the  progress  of  the  rider,  and 
the  peculiar  circumstances  of  each  case  can  alone  determine 
the  proper  time  to  proceed  from  one  lesson  to  another. 

[n  correcting  a  pupil,  the  instructor  should  not  only  point 
out  where  the  fiiult  lies,  but  should  inform  him  in  brief  terms 
what  to  do,  and  what  helps  to  use,  so  that  he  may  take  the 
right  steps,  in  due  order,  to  rectify  his  mistake. 

Hints  to  the  Riding  Master. 
As  the  adroitness  to  be  desired  in  a  horseman  is  based  upon 
the  delicate  "rider-feeling",  acquired  only  by  thorough  teach- 
ing and  daily  assiduous  riding  of  different  horses,  the  instruc- 
tor cannot  be  too  careful  to  direct  the  scholar's  attention  to  it. 


19     

To  give  hiiu  the  preliminary  impressions  of  this  perception,  it 
is  essential  that  the  teacher  should  explain  how  the  horse  steps 
forward  and  backward  in  walk,  trot  and  gallop.  He  should 
cause  the  pupil  to  tell,  without  looking  down,  which  foot,  the 
right  or  the  left,  is  put  down  in  walking,  and  the  same  in 
backing.  In  trotting,  he  should  point  out  the  diagonally 
placed  feet,  and  let  the  pupil  try  to  tell  whether  the  right  or 
the  left  of  the  hind  feet  is  set  down,  this  being  more  difficult 
than  to  do  the  same  for  the  fore  feet.  In  standing,  he  places 
the  horse  uneven,  and  causes  the  pupil  to  feel  and  designate 
which  of  the  fore  and  hind  feet  stand  forward  or  backward. 
In  halting,  he  makes  him  feel  Avhether  the  horse  stops  on  the 
forehand  with  high  croup,  or  on  the  croup  with  his  hind  legs 
under  him.  In  backing,  he  teaches  him  the  feeling  of  the 
crawling  back  on  the  forehand  with  high  croup,  and  the  same 
movement  with  the  croup  low  or  bent. 

A.11  this  is  followed  by  the  feeling  of  the  effect  of  reins, 
legs,  etc. 

In  galloping  the  teacher  causes  the  horse  to  be  started  in 
the  large  volte,  either  to  the  right  or  left,  and  calls  the  pupil's 
attention  to  the  feeling  that  is  produced  by  it  in  the  seat  and 
hips. 

Then  the  teacher  should  let  the  horse  start  -in  gallop  with- 
out preparation,  (he  may  start  him  himself  with  the  long- 
whip,)  and  ask  the  pupil  to  say  from  his  own  feeling  whether 
the  horse  gallops  with  the  right  or  left  foot  foremost. 

These  exercises,  gone  through  with  at  the  right  time,  and 
repeated  daily,  will  soon  give  the  pupil  a  preliminary  impres- 
sion of  what,  for  the  want  of  a  better  phrase,  we  may  call  the 
rldei'-feclbiy,  and  put  him  in  the  way  of  becoming  an  intelli- 
gent horseman. 

SECTION  '1. 

Instruction  in  Riding  ivitli  the  Snaffle,  and  Guiding 

ivith  both  Hands.     Of  ^hunting. 

The  beginner  should  lead  his  horse  into  the  school  Avith  the 
right  hand  holding  the  end  of  the  snaffle  rein  in  his  left  hand, 


20 

aud  grasping  the  two  reins  with  his  right  hand  immediately 
under  the  chin  of  the  horse.  He  places  himself  in  a  line  pa- 
rallel with  the  short  wall  of  the  school,  fronting  the  long  wall, 
to  the  left  of  the  neck  of  the  horse,  in  a  natural  position  be- 
fore the  teacher.  The  right  arm  must  be  somewhat  extended 
so  that  he  does  not  stand  too  near  the  horse,  and  so  that  he 
has  the  necessary  space  for  what  he  has  to  do. 

The  horse  must  stand  straight  on  all  four  feet,  the  forelegs 
perpendicular  and  the  head  raised. 

The  rider  now  places  the  snaffle  over  the  horse's  neck,  and 
the  instructor  examines  whether  the  horse  is  properly  saddled, 
and  shows  the  beginner  how  to  mount. 

At  the  command  ''Ready  to  Mount" — the  rider  turns  to 
the  right  upon  his  left  heel,  towards  the  horse, — makes  a  step 
sideways  and  a  little  towards  the  stirrups  in  such  a  way  as  to 
be  able  to  seize  the  stirrups  without  being  obliged  to  make  a 
second  movement. 

In  making  the  step  sideways  the  rider  must  slide  the  palm 
(.f  the  left  hand  along  the  left  bridle,  quietly  up  to  the  neck 
of  the  horse ;  seize  with  the  right  hand  a  portion  of  the  mane, 
near  the  saddle,  and  place  it  in  the  left  hand  (with  the  ends 
of  the  hair  upwards).  This  hand  is  then  closed  firmly  and 
placed  with  the  little  finger  close  to  the  neck. 

He  then  seizes  the  stirrup  with  his  right  hand,  places  his 
left  foot  in  it  to  the  toe  joint,  moves,  if  nece.ssary,  the  right 
foot  a  little  nearer  to  the  horse  and  presses  the  left  knee  tight 
to  the  saddle,  without,  however,  the  point  of  the  toe  touching 
the  horse ;  then  lifts  himself  upon  the  point  of  his  right  foot, 
seizes  with  his  right  hand  the  cantle  of  the  saddle,  and  holds 
himself  with  straightened  body  and  head,  his  eyes  directed 
somewhat  towards  the  ears  of  the  horse,  ready  to  mount. 

At  the  command  ''Ifoiint" — The  rider  holds  tight  to  the 
mane,  rests  his  left  foot  firmly  in  the  stirrup,  presses  the  left 
knee  on  the  saddle,  raises  himself  with  an  easy  swing  on  the 
point  of  the  right  foot  and  with  his  body  straight,  and  brings 
the  right  foot  close  to  the  left. 

At  first  this  p.sition  (with  the  knec,^  ii  little  ]>cnt,  and  tlu" 


—   21    — 

upper  body  slightly  inclined  over  the  saddle)  is  kept  up,  so 
that  the  rider  learns  to  keep  his  balance  and  to  stand  in  the 
stirrup.  Then  the  rider  raises  the  right  leg  (with  the  knee 
slightly  bent,  and  the  spur  turned  outward)  high  over  the 
back  of  the  horse,  without  touching  his  croup  removes  the 
right  hand  from  the  cantle  of  the  saddle  and  brings  it  with 
the  thumb  forwards  upon  the  pommel,  and  lowers  himself 
gently  into  the  saddle. 

He  then  tries  to  find  his  stirrup  with  the  point  of  the  right 
foot,  without  looking  down,  and  takes  the  reins  in  both  hands 
according  to  the  instructions  hereafter  to  be  given, 

(The  teacher  should  endeavor  to  make  the  pupil  compre- 
hend, that  by  a  firm  grasping  of  the  mane, — by  a  strong  pres- 
sure of  the  knee  upon  the  saddle, — and  by  quickly  rising  from 
the  ground,  a  turning  of  the  saddle  is  prevented). 

It  may  be  proper  here  to  mention 

How  TO  Mount  ^vitr  a  Cloak  on. 
The  rider  seizes  with  the  right  hand  the  front  right  side  of 
the  cloak,  and  holds  the  same  while  placing  the  hand  on  the 
back  of  the  saddle,  until  he  lias  brought  the  right  foot  over 
the  horse's  rear. 

SECTION  3. 
Position  and  Seat  on  Horseback. 

In  placing  a  beginner  for  the  first  time  on  horseback,  the 
seat  and  the  position  of  the  hips  are  first  shown  him  ]  then 
that  of  the  thighs,  of  the  legs  and  of  the  upper  part  of  the 
body;  and  finally  that  of  the  arms. 

In  sitting  on  horseback,  the  upper  part  of  the  body  has 
three  points  as  a  basis,  viz  : — the  two  seat-bones,  and  the  end 
of  the  spine,  thus  :  J^\^.  The  hips  by  means  of  these,  form  a 
basis  for  the  upper  part  of  the  body,  upon  which  depends 
the  correct  position  and  carriage  of  the  rider.  They  should 
be  placed  perpendicularly  on  the  saddle,  in  such  a  manner 
that  both  seat-bones  rest  firmly  and  evenly  upon  it,  and  that 
the  end  of  the  spine  rests  over  the  middle  of  the  saddle. 


22     

If  the  hips  be  thrown  too  far  back,  the  stomach  becomes 
drawn  in,  the  back  curves  and  the  thighs  are  raised.  If  they 
are  thrown  too  far  forward  they  leave  the  vertical  position,  the 
upper  part  of  the  body  loses  its  resting  place,  and  a  loss  of 
balance  occurs,  at  the  thighs  and  legs  being  at  the  same  time 
thrown  backwards. 

The  thighs  should  be  spread  from  the  hips  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  they  lie  flat  and  press  on  the  saddle,  with  the  knee  a 
little  forward.  The  degree  of  their  slanting  direction  deter- 
mines how  far  forward  the  knee  should  be,  as  when  the  knees 
grasp  the  horse  any  different  position  of  them  would  either 
throw  the  hips  back  or  raise  them  from  the  saddle.  In  the 
former  case  the  pushing  forwards  of  the  thighs,  and  in  the 
latter  the  drawing  of  them  backwards  produces  this  eifect.  Al- 
though the  entire  thigh  be  pressed  against  the  saddle  with  the 
inner  side,  it  must  not  be  done  to  such  a  degree  that  the  posi- 
tion becomes  stiff  or  forced. 

The  legs  should  hang  free  from  the  knee  joint,  and  rest  na- 
turally and  easily,  without  stiffness  or  cramping,  with  the  in- 
side part  against  the  horse. 

The/oo^  should  be  placed  in  the  stirrup  as  far  as  the  ball 
of  the  great  toe,  and  kept  straight  so  that  the  sole  touches 
lightly  with  its  entire  width  the  base  of  the  stirrup. 

The  toes  will  always  appear  turned  a  little  outward  by  means 
of  their  natural  relation  to  the  legs. 

The  heel  should  be  lowered  in  such  a  way  that  the  muscles 
of  the  thighs  become  extended  or  stretched  out,  but  neither 
the  calves  nor  feet  are  stiffened ;  as  not  only  the  holding  of 
the  stirrups,  but  also  the  falling  back  of  the  thighs  in  their 
original  position,  depend  upon  the  mobility  of  the  feet  at  the 
ankle  when  the  horse  moves 

As  the  rider  settles  well  down  into  the  saddle,  his  weight 
will  fall  not  only  upon  this,  but  through  the  thighs  and  legs 
upon  the  stirrups  also,  the  knees  being  straightened  and  the 
ankles  bent  so  that  the  heels  are  kept  down. 

In  riding  without  stirrups  the  thighs  should  be  well  stretch- 
ed, and  the  knees  lowered  ;  and  particular  attention  must  be 


23     — 

paid  lest  the  rider  should  hold  on  to  the  horse  with  the  calves, 
and  that  the  seat  rests  with  the  entire  weight  of  the  upper 
part  of  the  body  upon  the  saddle. 

The  position  of  ike  upper  part  of  the  hod(j  is  next  to  be 
considered.  The  &pinc  above  the  hips  should  be  drawn  in  as 
much  as  their  perpendicular  position  requires  or  allows 

The  hack  of  the  rider  must  be  pliable,  but  firm,  as  the  force 
of  the  jerks  which  he  experiences  through  the  movements  of 
the  horse  in  trotting  is  by  this  means  broken ;  consequently, 
he  is  not  so  much  lifted,  shaken  or  fatigued.  The  back  should 
be  firm  to  resist  the  movements  of  the  horse,  which  always  go 
from  the  rear  to  the  front.  In  addition  to  this,  the 'natural 
formation  of  the  joints  of  the  spine  renders  the  bending  for- 
wards much  easier  than  bending  backwards. 

As  the  hands  of  the  rider  are,  by  means  of  the  biidle,  in 
direct  communication  with  the  mouth  of  the  horse,  he  is  drawn 
fonvard  if  the  horse  is  heavy  in  hand,  and  will  find  it  diificult 
to  become  master  of  the  horse  unless  his  own  back  is  firm. 
During  long  rides,  in  consequence  of  fatigue,  there  is  a  ten- 
dency to  lean  forwards — all  of  which  furnishes  good  and  suffi- 
cient reasons  why  particular  attention  must  be  paid  to  the 
keeping  of  a  firm  and  pliable  back. 

The  slio'aldcrs  should  be  lowered,  and  both  shoulder  blades 
drawn  in.  This  taking  in  of  the  shoulders  must  be  done  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  chest  is  lifted  out,  without  being- 
stretched  or  strained.  The  drawhuj  up  of  the  shoulders  pro- 
duces a  drawing  in  of  the  chest,  which  has  a  detrimental  in- 
fiuence  upon  the  health  of  the  rider  and  prevents  his  having 
a  graceful  seat.  The  lowering  of  the  one  or  the  other  of  the 
shoulders  produces  a  drawing  in  of  the  corresponding  hip; 
and  the  drawing  in  of  the  hip  acts  in  the  same  way  upon  the 
shoulders. 

The  head  should  come  out  free  from  the  shoulders,  and  the 
neck  be  straightened  a  little  backwards.  This  straightening 
acts  favorably  upon  the  whole  back,  whilst  the  leaning  for- 
ward of  the  head  produces  a  bending  in  the  back,  and  prevents 
the  rider  from  taking  a  fi-ee  view  of  the  ground  before  him. 


24    

The  beginner  must  now  learn  the  (juiding  of  the  hort<e,  and 
for  that  purpose,  the  snaffle  reins  are  phiced  in  the  proper 
hands. 

The  upper  arms  from  the  shoulders  to  the  elboAV  should 
hnng  free  near  the  body,  without  pressing  (or  drawing)  them 
to  it.  If  the  body  were  pressed  by  the  elbows,  it  would  pro- 
duce a  raising  of  the  shoulders,  and  give  to  the  hand  a  forced 
and  unnatural  position  -,  holding  the  hand  away  from  the  body 
renders  it  unsteady. 

The  forearms,  from  the  elbows  to  the  wrists,  should  close 
easily  to  the  body ;  the  hands— (turned  in  at  the  wrists  so 
that  the  thumbs  face  each  other,  and  that  both  little  fingers 
are  -turned  rather  towards  the  body) — are  so  placed  that  the 
closed  fists  come  in  a  position  directly  over  and  alongside  the 
pommel  of  the  saddle,  nbout  four  inches  apart. 

Tlie  inner  hand  is  placed  on  a  level  with  the  elbow,  so  that 
the  forearm  forms  a  right  angle  with  the  upper  arm;  the 
outer  hand  should  be  a  hand's-breadth  higher  than  the  in- 
ner one. 

To  obtain  a  steady  and  firm  hand,  the  easy  closing  of  the 
arms  is  absolutely  necessary,  as  otherwise  the  ytinig  rider  will 
learn  to  stick  them  out  awkwardly,  and  will  acipiire  a  hard 
and  stifi"  hand — not  a  steady  and  supple  one. 

In  sitting  on  horseback,  the  body  of  the  rider  is  divided 
into  two  parts — movahlc  and  immovable.  The  former  com- 
prises the  upper  part  of  the  body  from  the  hips  upwards,  and 
the  legs,  from  the  knee  downwards,  the  foot  and  its  joints  in- 
cluded The  immovable  part  comprise  the  seat,  the  hips  and 
the  thighs,  which  are  in  a  manner  inseparable  from  the  saddle 
and  from  the  body  of  the  horse,  which  immovability  is  best 
obtained  by  allowing  the  legs  their  full  weight,  neither  to  bear 
in  the  stirrups  nor  to  close  the  knees  unnaturally,  as  this  ex- 
ertion of  the  flexors  draws  them  rather  up,  which  fault  in- 
creases with  each  cadence  of  the  trot  or  the  gallop,  instead  of 
the  thighs  being  kept  in  their  natural  position  by  means  of 
the  weight  of  the  legs. 


ItSeetiffit  .i!/y//^  ^^ 


25     

To  acquire  a  proper  and  graceful  seat,  the  head,  the  shoul- 
ders,  elbows,  hips,  and  seat-bones  must  be  in  a  vertical  line, 
which  passes  just  behind  the  heels. 

The  principal  changes  from  the  usual  seat,  are  the  Fork- 
seat,  (where  the  hips  take  a  direction  forward)  and  the  Chair- 
seat  (where  they  take  a  direction  backwards,  from  the  horizon- 
tal line).  In  the  fork-seat  the  knees  and  thighs  fall  too  far 
forwards. 

Every  body  is  apt  to  adopt  in  the  first  riding  lessons  such  a 
seat  as  according  to  his  conformation  is  easiest  for  him.  The 
form  of  saddle,  as  well  as  the  build  and  gait  of  the  horse,  have 
a  decided  influence  in  this  matter. 

A  proper  selection  of  the  horse,  the  seeking  out,  the  proper 
judging  of,  and  the  doing  away  with,  the  causes  which  hinder 
the  rider  from  obtaining  a  good  seat,  will  bring  the  pupil  on 
much  better  than  to  keep  him  racing  for  hours  around  in  the 
school. 

The  instructor  cannot  too  often  place  himself  behind  the 
rider,  so  as  to  be  able  to  observe  the  proper  position  of  the  hips 
and  shoulders. 

At  the  time  when  the  rider  begins  to  guide  with  one  hand, 
with  the  right  hand  resting  on  the  thigh,  he  is  very  apt  to 
displace  his  seat.  The  drawing  in  of  the  left  hip,  the  drawing 
up  or  the  leaning  backward  or  forward  of  the  right  shoulder, 
are  the  faults  ordinarily  arising  at  this  stage  of  a  young  rider's 
progress.  The  teacher  should  not  at  the  beginning  endeavor 
to  improve  all  the  irregularities  of  the  seat,  as  he  may  thereby 
confuse  his  scholar  and  make  him  nervous. 

Care  must  have  been  taken  by  the  teacher  during  the  first 
lessons  to  require  the  horizontal  position  of  the  hips,,  the  clos- 
ing of  the  thighs,  and  the  keeping  up  of  the  upper  body.  On- 
ly when  the  seat  of  the  rider  becomes  steady,  is  attention  to 
be  paid  to  the  guiding.  In  one  word  —he  must  require  at  the 
beginning  only  that  the  rider  sits  on  horseback — that  he  set- 
tles himself  in  the  saddle  -  and  that  ho  awaits  quietly  the 
movements;  whether  he  has  the  stirrups  near  the  heels,  or 
whether  the  hands  arc  unsteady,  etc.,  is  immaterial. 

3 


■ 26     — 

In  case  tlie  knees  or  legs  are  drawn  back,  before  the  thighs 
and  upper  part  of  the  body  are  in  a  firm  and  good  position,  one 
is  apt  to  acquire  the  forked  seat. 

The  object  of  instruction  in  the  riding  school  is  to  teach 
the  rider  to  follow  the  movements  of  the  horse,  and  to  resist 
them,  when  necessary,  with  firmness  and  agility. 

It  often  happens  at  the  moving  ofi",  in  quickening  the  gait, 
or  in  putting  the  horse  into  a  gallop,  in  other  words  when 
the  horse  is  started  forwards,  that  the  thighs  of  a  rider  ad- 
vance, and  that  the  upper  part  falls  back ;  or  that  in  a  sudden 
stop  or  shying,  the  upper  part  of  the  body  falls  forwards. 
These  two  faults  arise  from  the  rider  not  taking  pains  to  fol- 
low with  the  upper  body  the  movements  of  the  horse.  The 
hips,  as  before  remarked,  together  with  the  seat-bones,  form 
the  support  of  the  upper  body  upon  the  saddle,  and  through 
them  the  connection  with  the  horse  is  established.  If  the 
horse  moves  forward,  and  the  upper  body  does  not  follow  the 
movements  easily,  it  of  course  falls  back,  and  the  thighs  being 
stiff  move  forward. 

If  the  horse  stop  suddenly,  or  slacken  his  gait  without  the 
rider  being  prepared  for  it,  the  upper  body  naturally  falls  for- 
wards. As  the  basis  of  the  body  is  stopped  suddenly,  the 
upper  body  must  be  thrown  back  to  resist  this  movement  and 
to  prevent  the  the  falling  forwards. 

To  resist  the  movement  of  rearing,  the  rider  should  lean  the 
upper  body  forward,  so  that  he  remains  always  in  a  vertical 
line  with  the  ground. 

If  the  horse  kick,  the  upper  body,  for  the  same  reason,  is 
brought  backwards. 

In  order  to  follow  the  movements  of  the  horse,  the  rider 
should,  in  turnuKj  or  in  riding  in  a  circle,  lean  a  little  to  the 
side  towards  which  the  turning  takes  place;  through  the  neg- 
lect of  this,  and  especially  when  riding  without  stirrups,  an 
inexperienced  rider  is  likely  to  be  thrown  to  the  opposite  side. 

The  ability  to  keep  the  balance  and  to  follow  the  horse  in  his 
Various  movements, — to  remain  firm  in  the  saddle  without  hold- 
ing on  to  the  bridle,  constitutes  a  really  firm  and  steady  seat, 


27     • 

SECTION  4. 

Of  the  hiicJcUng  of  the  Stirrups, 

III  order  to  accomplish  proper  buckling  of  the  stirrups,  the 
rider  must  draw  up  his  pantaloons  well  into  the  fork.  The 
instructor  placing  himself  then  behind  the  horse,  is  able  to 
judge  whether  the  saddle  is  straight,  and  the  rider  in  such  a 
position  that  the  tip  of  his  back-bone  rests  in  the  middle  of  it; 
also,  whether  the  horse  stands  straight  on  all  his  four  feet. 
He  will  now  permit  the  rider  to  straighten  out  his  thighs  mo- 
derately, lower  his  heels,  and  raise  his  toes.  The  lower  part  of 
the  stirrup,  called  the  base,  must,  after  these  preliminaries, 
hang  one  inch  ?bove  the  top  of  the  boot-heel.  In  this  way 
whenever  the  rider  raises  himself  in  the  stirrups,  there  Avill  be 
a  space  of  four  fingers  between  his  body  and  the  saddle,  which 
in  all  cases  is  sufficient  for  the  movement  of  the  body. 

The  stirrups  should  be  of  such  a  length  that  the  rider  can 
so  raise  or  lift  himself  in  the  saddle  as  to  strike  a  blow  or 
make  a  cut,  without  at  the  same  time  standing  in  them,  or  los- 
ing his  seat  by  drawing  up  the  knees. 

If  the  stirrups  are  buckled  too  short,  the  extending  of  the 
thighs  is  prevented — the  knees  open  and  become  pulled  up, 
and  the  whole  seat  loses  its  regularity  and  safety.  If  they  arc 
too  long,  the  toes  become  lowered  and  the  seat  loose. 

The  foregoing  rules  are  however  subject  to  some  exceptions. 
In  riding  a  hard-trotting  horse,  the  stirrups,  if  of  a  proper 
length,  would  be  short  for  the  ordinary  gait. 

The  instructor  must  not  be  satisfied  with  examining  the 
stirrups  when  at  a  halt,  but  in  all  the  movements. 

SECTION  5. 
On  Dismounting. 

Before  the  rider  dismounts,  the  instructor  should  see  that 
the  horse  stands  with  the  four  feet  in  a  straight  line,  with  the 
fore  legs  perpendicular,  and  with  head  erect. 


28     

At  the  command — ^'Prepare  to  Dismount" — the  snaffle 
reins  are  placed  crosswise  in  the  left  hand ;  the  rider  seizes 
with  the  right  hand  a  portion  of  the  mane,  places  it  in  the 
left  hand,  and  holds  it  as  already  explained  in  mounting. 

The  right  hand  is  then  placed, — (the  thumb  upwards  and 
the  four  fingers  downwards)  upon  the  saddle  pad,  or  side  of 
the  saddle  flap  near  the  pommel,  the  right  foot  is  withdrawn 
from  the  stirrup,  and  left  to  fall  naturally,  and  the  body  is 
turned  a  little  to  the  right. 

In  this  position  the  rider  awaits  th3  command  of— '^Dis- 
mount !" — When  this  is  given,  with  a  straightened  upper 
body  he  lifts  his  right  leg  so  high  as  not  to  touch  with  the 
spur  the  croupe  of  the  horse,  and  brings  it  with  a  moderate 
spring  of  the  body  alongside  of  the  left  foot,  while  the  right 
hand  leaves  the  saddle  pad  and  seizes  the  cantle 

The  beginner  should  remain  for  a  moment  in  that  position, 
(as  in  mounting),  then  the  right  hand  leaves  the  cantle  of. the 
saddle,  and  the  rider  alights  with  the  right  foot  as  far  back 
upon  the  ground  as  was  necessary  iu  mounting,  so  as  to  bring 
himself  near  to  the  horse. 

As  soon  as  the  right  foot  touches  the  ground,  the  right 
hand  takes  hold  of  the  strap  of  the  stirrups,  the  left  foot  is 
taken  out  of  the  stirrup,  and  placed  next  to  the  right  one,  the 
rider  makes  a  step  sidewards  to  the  side  of  the  horse,  and 
turns  on  his  left  heel  front ;  the  left  hand  leaves  the  mane 
and  the  right  one  glides  quietly  down  the  left  snaffle  rein, 
seizes  both  reins  near  the  chin,  and  then  takes  the  prescribed 
position. 

If  the  rider  at  the  end  of  the  lesson  is  commanded, — ''To 
the  Right — To  the  Left — March" — he  takes  the  snaffle  reins 
down,  fixes  the  stirrup,  and  if  he  brings  the  horse  to  the  right 
hand  of  the  school,  he  leads  him  away  on  the  left,  and  vice 
versa. 

The  continual  fear  of  falling  off  the  horse  makes  every  be- 
ginner more  or  less  timid,  and  is  a  great  hindrance  to  the  in- 
structor.    This  is  best  overcome  by  permitting  the  rider  to 


2JJ     

jump  off  the  horse  after  he  has  become  familiarized  with 
mounting  and  dismounting. 

At  the  command — ^^Prepare  to  jump  off" — the  rider  dis- 
engages both  feet  from  the  stirrups,  takes  hold  of  the  pommel 
of  the  saddle  with  the  right  hand,  and  with  the  left  seizes  the 
crest  of  the  neck  of  the  horse. 

At  the  command — "Jump  off" — he  swings  himself  with 
the  arms  and  hips  out  of  the  saddle,  brings  the  right  leg 
straight  over  the  croupe  of  the  horse,  and  jumps  with  closed 
feet  and  a  moderate  bending  of  the  knees,  upon  the  balls  of 
the  feet  to  the  ground. 

This  exercise,  which  in  time  must  be  done  while  in  walk- 
ing also,  (a  second  person  should  lead  the  horse  meanwhile) 
gives  the  rider  a  certain  confidence  instead  of  the  dread  of 
fallino:  off. 


c 


SECTION  6. 
Of  the  Acfjion  of  the  Reins. 

The  combined  action  of  the  reins  and  thighs  has  the  effect 
of  giving  the  horse  a  correct  and  easy  (quiet)  position  of  the 
head  and  neck. 

When  both  bridles  act  evenly,  the  gait  of  the  horse  becomes 
shortened ;  and  if  both  legs  are  pressed  against  the  horse  he 
is  obliged  to  bring  the  hind  feet  under,  and  to  bend  them. 
By  this  means  the  forehand  becomes  raised— that  is  to  say, 
the  horse  is  gathered  and  is  prepared  to  execute  any  turn  or 
gait.  This  position  of  the  horse  is  generally  called  ^^half- 
parade." 

If  both  reins  be  shortened  still  more,  the  horse  is  brought 
to  a  stop  (stand).  His  position  is  then  termed  a  ^^ whole 
parade." 

If  the  reins  are  still  drawn  in  cnrivy^  the  linrse  is  compelled 
to  back. 

By  slackening  both  reins  in  going  straight  forward,  the 
]>ressuve  of  the  bit  beconies  lessened,  emd  tlie  horse  is  brouo-ht 


30     

to  a  quicker  gait^  especially  if  it  be  accompauied  with  a  pres- 
sure of  the  legs. 

As  a  general  rule  both  reins  should  always  be  used  to- 
gether ;  and  it  is  only  in  certain  emergencies  that  one  or  the 
other  has  to  act  (work)  separately.  Still,  each  rein  has  some- 
times to  produce  a  separate  effect,  viz  : — The  inside  rein 
places  the  horse  on  the  hand,  and  directs  which  way  he  is  to 
go ;  it  guides  him  in  his  movements — (in  turnings) ;  it  acts 
as  an  outward  pressure  in  combination  with  the  inside  leg  to 
prevent  the  rear  from  coming  io. 

The  outside  rein  raises  up  the  neck  and  head.  It  counter- 
acts somewhat  in  case  the  horse  should  obey  the  inside  rein 
too  much,  or  if  he  should  make  a  too  short  or  a  very  sudden 
turn.  It  also  helps  to  bring  the  horse  into  the  turn,  and  pre- 
vents the  croupe  from  breaking  out. 

We  say,  therefore,  that  the  inside  rein  produces  the  posi- 
tion and  turning ;  that  the  outside  one  determines  the  extent 
of  both,  and  that  it  helps  to  prevent  the  croupe  from  fall- 
ing out 

It  should  be  impressed  on  the  mind  of  the  beginner,  that 
both  reins  should  act  together,  but  that  neither  one  must  in 
terfcrc  with  the  action  of  the  other — that  is  to  say,  if  one  act 
more  than  the  other,  that  one  must  be  slackened  somewhat 
for  the  movement. 

In  the  same  way,  the  tightening  of  the  reins  must  be  firm, 
but  never  of  long  duration ;  after  each  tightening,  the  hand 
must  slacken,  and  a  repetition  take  place  if  necessary.  By 
this  means,  obedience  is  more  readily  obtained ;  whereas,  by 
a  continued  tightening  or  pulling  of  the  reins,  the  mouth  of 
the  horse  becomes  dull  and  loses  its  sensibility  and  feeling. 
It  produces,  also,  a  stiffness  in  the  neck  and  in  the  joints. 
Besides  which,  each  tightening  of  one  rein  (conjointly  with 
the  other  rein)  causes  a  retrograde  movement  of  the  hind  leg 
of  the  same  side  3  for  instance,  the  pulling  of  the'right  rein 
produces  a  stepping  back  of  the  right  hind  leg. 


31     ■ 

SKCTION  7. 

Of  the  Action  of  the  Thighs  and  Legs,  and  of  the 

Seat. 

The  faults  most  frequently  occurring  in  using  the  thighs 
iHicl  legs  are  : — 

1.  Turning  or  twisting  them,  by  which,  instead  of  touching 
or  pressing  the  horse  with  the  inner  or  flat  side,  he  is  pressed 
with  the  back  part. 

2.  Drawing  up  and  placing  the  heel  too  far  back,  or  the  in- 
ward turning  of  the  same,  by  which  the  horse  becomes  tickled 
and  harassed  with  the  spur,  producing  in  those  that  are  nerv- 
ous or  restive  many  faults. 

3.  Pressing  with  the  legs  alone,  instead  of  the  increasing 
pressure  of  the  thighs  and  legs. 

In  all  of  these  cases  the  power  of  the  thighs  acting  through 
the  knees,  is  lost, — the  legs  are  used  without  the  necessary  co- 
operation of  the  inside  of  the  thighs  and  knees,  and  the  whole 
is  exceedingly  faulty  and  produces  no  eifect. 

The  ordinary  and  proper  position  of  the  legs  is  hanging 
down  naturally  from  the  knees  by  their  own  weight.  To  use 
them  with  eifect,  they  should  be  placed  flat  on  the  horse  with 
the  heel  lowered,  immediately  behind  the  girth. 

The  eifect  of  either  leg  alone  upon  the  horse  produces  a 
turning  of  the  croup  to  the  opposite  side  ;  he  will  move  in 
this  manner  until  the  pressure  of  the  other  leg  checks  him. 

If  both  legs  act  evenly  and  at  the  same  time,  the  hor^e  will 
move  forward;  if  both  legs  act  at  the  same  time,  but  with  un- 
equal force,  the  horse  will  move  forward,  but  sidewise  at  the 
same  time,  obeying  the  impulse  of  the  leg  that  presses  most. 

The  rider  must  be  taught  from  the  beginning,  that  in  using 
the  thighs,  he  must  press  downwards  from  the  hips  to  the 
knees,  and  thaf  only  after  so  doing  should  he  use  the  legs  ; 
that  this  pressure  must  not  be  continual,  but  relaxed  and  in- 


32     

creased  until  the  horse  has  understood  the  rider  and  obeyed 
his  will;  also,  that  both,  the  legs  and  thig-hs,  must  act  to- 
gether, even  if  the  action  on  one  side  should  be  stronger  than 
that  on  the  other. 

To  have  a  proper  effect  upon  the  horse,  the  reins  and  thighs 
must  support  each  other,  and  it  must  be  made  a  rule,  that  the 
action  of  the  reins  should  not  only  precede  that  of  the  thighs, 
but  must  be  combined  with  it  proportionately. 

In  hachiwj,  for  instance,  both  legs  ought  to  be  applied  at 
the  same  time,  to  keep  the  croup  upon  a  straight  line.  In 
case  the  pressure  of  the  legs  should  be  stronger  than  is  neces- 
sary to  accomplish  this  purpose,  the  horse  will  rear  or  ad 
vance,  instead  of  stepping  backwards.  This  opposition  arises 
from  the  reins  and  legs  not  cooperating  Only  by  a  proper 
use  of  the  legs  can  the  rider  expect  a  certain  effect  in  guiding. 

The  pressures  and  dead  weights  which  ih.Q  rider  makes  use 
of  by  dividing  and  disposing  of  his  bodily  weight  upon  the 
different  sides  and  portions  of  the  seat  — especially  upon  the 
seat-bones — or  even  by  the  adlitional  settling  of  the  weight 
of  the  legs  into  one  or  the  other  of  the  stirrups,  and  the  pos- 
tures of  the  hips  and  the  upper  body,  arc  called  siitlntj-hclpH, 
and  act  differently  and  efTectually  upon  the  horse. 

With  these  sitting-helps,  in  conjunction  vrith  the  reins  and 
legs,  every  horse  can  be  mastered.  A  well-trained  horse  can 
be  ridden  with  them  alone.  The  application  of  these  helps 
facilitates  greatly  the  proper  guiding;  but  it  must  not  be  a 
continual  slipping  about  in  the  saddle,  or  a  throwing  about  of 
the  upper  body  from  one  side  to  the  other.  The  rider  must 
always  sit  quietly  in  the  middle  of  the  saddle ;  must  execute 
them  unobserved,  as  occasion  arises,  by  sitting  down  more  or 
less  upon  the  seat-bones,  by  pressing  forward  or  bringing  back 
the  hip  of  the  one  side,  or  the  whole  upper  body,  or  by  the 
more  or  less  dropping  of  either  leg  by  its  own  weight. 

The  special  application  of  the  helps  will  be  spoken  of.  when 
treatinii;  of  the  different  aaits  and  turninas. 


SECTION  8. 
Of  the  Spur, 

The  spur  is  used  properly  only  wlicn  strict  obedience  is  ob- 
tained by  it,  in  the  way  of  light  or  fine  help.  Experience 
shows  that  this  is  accomplished  with  the  greatest  certainty  by 
repeated  slight  touches.  The  spur  itself  must  have  a  short 
neck,  as  the  proper  mode  of  using  it  is  only  possible  with  a 
closely  pressed  calf.  If  the  neck  of  the  spur  be  long,  the  rider 
cannot  bring  the  leg  sufficiently  in  connection  with  the  horse 
withojt  using  it,  and  the  often  repeated  touch  is  not  possible, 
by  reason  of  the  resulting  unsteadiness  of  the  leg ;  the  eifcct 
produced  would  then  become  jerking  and  starting. 

This  application  of  the  spur,  which  requires  some  practice, 
a  firm  sent,  and  a  fine  feeling,  is  called,  in  the  old  riding 
books,  pinching,  and  much  has  been  written  about  it  to  make 
very  plain  the  requisite  delicacy  of  feeling.  It  is  looked  upon 
as  one  of  the  most  scientific,  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  the 
most  successful  points  of  horsemanship,  as  well  for  training  as 
for  use  in  ordinary  riding 

Before  using  the  spur,  the  rider  should  always  endeavor  to 
obtain  the  desired  end  by  pressing  the  calf;  but  if  this  be  not 
sufficient,  an  increased  pressure  is  necessary  until  the  touch  of 
the  spur  is  the  result  of  drawing  in  the  heel.  This  must  be 
repeated,  but  the  leg  must  remain  close  to  the  horse,  and  the 
rider  must  feel  exactly  with  hand  and  leg  the  yielding  and 
obedience  produced  by  this  help  He  must  feel  the  different 
results  produced  by  the  touch  of  the  spur  — short  and  striking 
for  general  preparation,  and  easy  and  continuous  for  the  side- 
wise  moving  and  for  the  position  of  the  croupe. 

As  complete  obedience  is  to  be  obtained  by  the  use  of  the 
spur,  it  must  therefore  be  natural  and  possible  to  produce  with 
its  help,  full  pliability,  gathering  and  balance.  But  first  it  is 
necessary  that  the  rider  should  know  exactly  what  effect  he 
wishes  to  produce,  and  why  he  uses  this  or  that  help  for  the 
purpose.  All  that  can  be  said  in  this  respect  is  of  such  a 
general  nature,  that  upon  slight  reflection  it  is  easily  under- 
stood— it  being  evident,  that  one  can  only  obtain  the  desired 


—     34     

eucl  if  the  right  position  be  given,  and  he  knows  how  to  pro- 
duce the  right  step. 

Necessarily,  in  order  to  produce  a  combined  effect,  the  ac- 
tion of  the  curb  upon  the  jaws,  and  of  the  spur  upon  the 
flanks,  must  each  be  certain.  The  rider  begins  first  with  the 
gathering  on  the  spot,  then  in  walking,  then  in  trotting,  and  if 
the  horse  is  well  gathered,  in  gallop,  and  even  in  the  charge  3 
in  all  these,  but  especially  in  the  turnings,  he  tries  to  keep 
the  balance,  and  to  produce  a  mobility.  So  as  not  to  have  to 
combat  at  the  beginning  the  full  strength  of  the  horse,  he 
may  be  gathered  with  the  right  hand  and  left  spur  in  a 
strongly  bent  position  upon  a  diagonal  line. 

The  great  power,  which  the  rider  possesses  by  means  of 
the  spur,  and  which  can  be  used  with  an  increasing  and  un- 
bearable force,  should  for  that  reason,  be  applied  with  the 
greatest  caution.  It  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  difficult  parts 
of  teaching  horsemanship  to  give  the  rider  the  requisite  knowl- 
edge and  tact  for  the  use  of  the  spur ;  but  it  is  especially  im- 
portant to  impress  upon  him,  in  the  clearest  manner,  the  evil 
effects  and  disadvantages  of  its  abuse  ;  if  he  does  not  fully  un- 
derstand its  use, — how  he  injures  himself  as  well  as  the  horse 
by  a  strong  application  of  it,  and  how  he  frequently  obtains 
the  very  reverse  of  what  he  desires.  The  horse  in  consequence 
of  such  attacks  or  punches  rushes  forward  into  the  hand,  ex- 
periencing considerable  pain  in  the  neck  and  loins,  and  is 
thereby  apt  to  go  backward;  whereas,  a  moderate  and  well 
measured  use  of  the  spur  makes  the  rider  perfect  master  of  his 
horse,  causing  him  at  the  same  time  to  become  well  gathered, 
Avhich  for  safe  and  active  riding  is  of  the  utmost  importance. 
The  rider  must  bear  in  mind,  that  hard  punches  of  the  spur 
cannot  produce  this  gathering. 

Furthermore,  by  the  above  mentioned  application  of  the 
spur,  the  horse  is  brought  so  far  that  for  ordinary  purposes, 
the  pressure  of  the  leg  will  suffice  to  obtain  the  desired  effect, 
and  the  rider  himself  acquires  that  accurate  feeling,  which  is 
absolutely  neces.sary  for  any  one  to  possess,  who  desires  to  be 
with  justice  called  a  rider. 


SECTION  9. 
Of  the  Helps  to  the  different  Gaits,  and  of  the  Guid- 
ing with  the  Reins  in  general. 

The  rider,  in  order  to  make  the  horse  acquainted  with  his 
will,  must  make  use  of  certain  movements  of  hand  and  leg,  of 
turning  of  the  upper  body,  and  shifting  of  his  weight  upon 
different  sides  and  places  of  the  seat, — which  movements  are 
called  helps.  By  this  word  it  is  meant  that  one  so  communi- 
cates with  the  horse,  that  the  latter  is  actually  helped  thereby. 

The  helps  must  always  be  regulated  according  to  the  sus- 
ceptibility of  the  horse,  so  as  to  insure  the  intended  object. 

They  a-re  termed  rougli,  if  by  them  the  horse  becomes 
startled  or  surprised. 

They  are  termed  increasing  if  the  rider  begins  with  a  mild 
pressure  of  the  legs,  or  a  turning  of  the  hand,  without  punch- 
ing or  pulling,  going  on  increasing  until  he  has  obtained  his 
object. 

They  are  termed  good,  combined  or  in  accordance,  if  the 
rider  has  the  stability  to  bring  in  harmony  the  hand,  leg  and 
seat. 

They  are  termed  visible,  if  the  rider  makes  large  and  far- 
fetched motions  of  hand  and  leg. 

Xhey  are  termed  invisible,  if  the  rider,  through  a  good  firm 
seat  and  the  right  position  of  the  hand  by  imperceptible  move- 
ments, attains  his  object. 

The  instructor  must  pay  the  utmost  attention  to  enabling 
the  young  rider  to  use  good,  combined  and  invisible  helps. 

The  guiding  is  divided  into  two  principal  parts— the  Snaffle 
Rein  Guiding  and  Curb  Guiding.  The  general  rules  for  good 
guiding^  are  applicable  to  both. 

What  is  termed  a  gorjd,  hand,  is  one  that  is  ^fii'm,  light  and 
sensitive. 

The  hand  is  ^/irm,  if  it  is  capable  of  remaining  on  all  occa- 
sions in  the  position  which  the  rider  intends  to  give  it. 

It  is  ^'lighf  if  it  feels  the  bearing  of  the  jaws  upon  the  bit 

It  is  ^'sensitive,''  if  all  its  motions,  from  the  gentlest  to  the 


36     

strongest,  without  jerking,  increase  by  pressure,  and  dimin- 
ish in  the  same  manner. 

How  the  reins  should  be  held  in  guiding  with  the  snaffle 
has  already  been  explained  in  Sect.  6. 

SECTION  10. 

Of  the  (raits  of  the  Horse. 

The  gaits  of  the  horse  are — the  icalk,  the  trot,  the  (/aUop, 
and  the  charge. 

The  tempo  refers  to  the  quicker  or  slower  execution  of  the 
movements  of  each  gait;  as  for  instance,  in  the  trot,  the  short 
trot  and  the  trotting  out  are  the  different  temp<^  of  that  gait. 

To  increase  or  decrease  the  tempo,  means  to  ride  the  same 
gait  either  quicker  or  slower.  For  instance,  to  increase  the 
temjyo  in  gallop,  means  to  make  the  gallop  a  faster  one.  But 
to  increase  or  decrease  the  gait,  means  to  pass  from  a  walk 
into  a  trot,  from  a  trot  into  a  gallop ;  or  from  a  gallop  into  a 
trot,  or  from  the  latter  into  a  walk. 

0/  the  Walk. — The  walk  is  for  the  rider  the  most  comfort- 
able, and  for  the  horse  the  most  natural,  movement.  In  this 
gait  the  horse  leaves  four  distinct  foot-prints.  He  begins  the 
step  with  one  or  the  other  foreleg;  in  case  of  beginning  with 
the  right  fore,  the  left  hind  leg  follows ;  then  the  left  foreleg, 
and  at  last  the  right  hind  leg. 

The  rider  in  this  movement  has  the  best  opportunity  to  feel 
distinctly  the  placing  of  each  single  leg  under  him.  The  gait 
should  not  be  short,  as  already  remarked  in  Sect.  1,  but  live- 
ly, and  not  too  hurried.  One  hundred  and  twenty  paces  per 
minute  is  generally  calculated  for  an  average  walk. 

0/  Ambling. — In  ambling  the  horse  goes  either  in  a  hur- 
ried irregular  succession  of  steps,  or  with  both  feet  of  the 
same  side  together.  As  in  all  movements,  (more  especially 
in  the  troop)  it  is  necessary  that  the  instructions,  contained 
in  Sect.  6,  be  followed.  A  spirited  high-blooded  horse  should 
be  moderated  in  his  speed,  and  a  lazy,  sleepy  one  enlivened  j 
but  neither  must  at  anv  time  be  allowed  to  amble* 


37     

It  should  be  impressed  upon  the  beginner,  that  in  no  move- 
ment the  tempo  is  to  be  made  with  the  hands  grasping  the 
reins,  but  that  the  art  of  the  rider  consists  in  guiding  the 
horse  with  a  light,  easy,  and  imperceptibly  increasing  hand. 

In  tuniing  io  the.  right,  the  right  hand  is  turned  so  that  the 
little  finger  is  raised  towards  the  middle  of  the  chest,  while 
the  left  hand  relaxes  in  proportion;  the  right  leg  is  placed  in 
its  natural  position  by  the  girth,  the  left,  behind  the  girth  ; 
the  upper  body  follows  the  movement  easily,  inclining  to  the 
inner  side. 

In  turning  to  the  left,  the  movement  is  executed  in  the 
same  manner^but  by  inverse  means. 

As  the  horse  places  his  weight  always  on  the  inner  side, 
the  rider  should  be  instructed  to  gather  him  accordingly  be- 
fore each  turn,  and  to  place  more  weight  upon  the  inner 
seat-bone ;  he  low^ers  also  his  inner  leg  with  its  full  weight, 
drawing  back  his  inner  shoulder  and  hip,  in  a  degree  corre- 
sponding to  the  turn,  whether  this  be  greater  or  smaller  in 
extent. 

To  gather  the  horse  in  the  walk  upon  a  straight  line,  both 
hands  are  turned  in  with  equal  strength,  the  little  fingers 
turned  towards  the  stomach,  and  both  legs  well  applied  be- 
hind the  girth,  acting  equally. 

The  rider  must  be  instructed  at  the  same  time  to  use  the 
reins  and  legs  in  an  increasing  and  diminishing  manner,  and 
to  renew  this  pressing  and  relaxing  until  the  horse  has  exec- 
uted his  will. 

The  teacher  should  give  to  this  subject  his  particular  at" 
tention ;  for  by  this  instruction  he  lays  the  first  foundation 
for  conveying  to  the  rider  the  combined  action  of  reins,  legs 
and  seat,  which  prepares  him  for  all  difficult  manoeuvres. 

Upon  the  command  oi^^^Wall-'' — '^ March!'' — the  fore- 
hand of  the  horse  becomes  somewhat  raised  by  the  turning  of 
the  two  little  fingers  towards  the  stomach,  both  legs  are  made 
to  press  evenly,  and  the  hands  relax  again  gently;  the  upper 
body  is  well  adjusted,  so  that  it  neither  falls  forward  or  back^ 

4 


• 38     

ward.     After  a  few  steps  the  legs  are  allowed  to  take  their 
original  position. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  is  under  way,  the  rider  must  endeavor 
to  keep  him  on  a  straight  line,  so  that  he  places  the  hind  feet 
on  the  same  line  with  the  front  feet, ;  he  must  also  try  to 
maintain  an  even  tempo  during  the  turning. 

(The  instructor,  at  the  beginning,  should  walk  near  the 
rider,  to  remind  him  to  retain  a  good  seat,  and  a  natural  and 
easy  position.) 

When  the  rider  comes  to  the  wall  of  the  riding  school,  or 
to  the  enclosing  line,  (if  the  school  consists  of  a  laid  out 
square)  he  should  be  duly  reminded  of  the  above  mentioned 
helps. 

In  riding  through  the  corners  of  the  school  or  laid  out 
square,  the  instructor  must  see  to  it,  that  the  rider  does  not 
pull  the  horse  s  head  toicards  the  outer  side,  and  that  he  does 
not  permit  him  to  pass  by  them  in  his  own  way,  but  must  do 
so  by  the  acting  of  both  reins,  and  by  the  predominant  action 
of  the  inner  rein  and  kfj ;  that  the  croup  is  well  guarded, 
and  that  with  both  reins,  but  especially  by  the  cooperation  of 
the  outside  rein,  the  horse  is  guided  out  of  the  corners. 

In  regard  to  the  help  of  the  leg,  it  is  often  the  case,  that 
the  outer  leg  is  used  singly,  which  is  extremely  faulty,  as  the 
simultaneous  cooperation  of  the  inn^t  one  facilitates  the  turn- 
ing. The  leg,  which  should  act  the  most,  is  decided  accord- 
ing to  the  kind  of  turning,  (as  will  be  more  fully  explained 
hereafter  in  treating  of  that  subject.) 

Another  fault,  which  very  frequently  occurs,  is,  that  the 
outer  hand  is  crossed  in  turning  over  the  neck  of  the  horse, 
which  must  not  be  permitted. 

That  side,  to  which  the  horse  is  bent,  is  called  the  inside; 
the  other  is  called  the  outside.  The  rider  rides  in  the  school 
on  that  handy  which  is  turned  toward  the  middle  of  the  school. 
But  it  may  often  occur,  that  upon  the  right  hand,  (according 
to  the  position  of  the  horse's  head)  the  left  side  becomes  the 
inner  side,  and  vice  versA. 

In  reo;ard  to  the  position  of  the  head  of  the  horse,  in  bend- 


39     

ing  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  the  rider  should  be  taught^  that 
this  must  be  doue  with  a  raised  neck,  in  the  neck  joint  behind 
the  neck  strap — (the  point  where  the  head  connects  with  the 
neck  )  This  is  most  readily  perceived  in  looking  over  the 
horse's  head. 

At  the  c(.mmencement,  the  beginner  is  often  ordered  to 
halt,  that  he  may  re-arrange  his  seat,  which  has  become  dis- 
placed, and  to  make  him  comprehend  the  helps,  in  halting  as 
well  as  in  starting. 

Upon  the  command  of  "Halt!''  the  rider  must  gather  his 
horse,  by  lowering  and  closing  both  legs,  and  raising  both 
hands  with  the  little  finger  in  a  straight  direction  upwards  to- 
wards the  stomach  When  the  horse  is  brought  to  a  stand- 
still, the  hands  must  relax,  so  that  he  does  not  step  backwards. 

At  the  beginning,  the  rider  must  be  taught  to  relax  the 
hand  gently  after  each  turning,  after  the  shortening  of  any 
gait,  or  after  halting,  whatever  may  be  the  gait. 

He  must  by  degrees  learn  to  feel  the  sensitiveness  of  the 
horse,  in  order  to  judge  in  any  gait,  how  strongly  the  reins 
should  be  drawn,  and  the  legs  applied,  so  that  the  horse  may 
execute  his  wishes  willingly,  without  creeping  back,  shaking 
the  head,  or  moving  right  or  left. 

Upon  the  command  of  March,  the  beforementioned  helps 
are  repeated. 

After  the  close  of  the  instruction,  the  teacher  commands. 
Rich  up!  whereupon  the  rider  turns  his  horse  towards  the 
middle  of  the  riding  school,  and  advances  to  the  centre,  where 
he  remains  standing,  placing  him  in  a  straight  position. 

SECTION  11. 
Of  the  straigJit  position  of  the  Horse. 

In  the  beginning,  the  rider  must  be  taught  to  place  his 
horse  straight  upon  all  four  legs,  and  how  to  acquire  the  per- 
ception, that  this  is  properly  accomplished. 

If  both  forelegs  stand  back  under  the  belly,  the  rider  will 
feel  a  lowering  in  the  forehand ;  if  only  one  foot  stand  back, 


40     

he  will  perceive  it  at  once  by  a  glance  upon  the  edge  of  the 
shoulder;  if  the  horse  stand  spread,  he  will  feel  a  sinking  in 
the  back ;  if  he  stand  with  his  hind  feet  under  his  belly,  the 
rider  feels  a  rising  under  his  seat;  if  he  rest  upon  a  single 
hindfoot,  the  rider  feels  on  the  same  side  a  lowering  or  sink- 
ing under  the  seat;  finally,  if  the  rider  feel  one  of  his  shoul- 
ders thrown  forward,  the  horse  stands  with  the  rear  towards 
the  same  side. 

From  either  of  these  faulty  positions,  the  horse  must  be 
brought  into  the  proper  one,  by  a  gentle  feeling  of  the  reins, 
and  by  an  increasing  pressure  of  the  thighs. 

It  is  very  useful  and  necessary,  not  only  for  a  good  position 
in  forming  a  line,  but  for  the  rider's  own  feeling,  to  call  his 
attention  to  the  fact,  and  to  show  him,  that  the  horse  is  able 
to  move  off  well,  only  when  he  stands  perpendicularly  upon 
his  four  legs.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  then,  that  he 
be  always  placed  in  a  ^straight  line. 

To  make  it  a  habit  with  the  beginner,  the  instructor  should 
see  to  it,  that  the  horse  at  each  and  every  deviation  be  brought 
back  to  a  straight  line,  in  oder  to  prepare  the  rider  for  the 
very  important  exercise  of  making  him  move  off  straight. 

If  the  teacher  perceives,  that  the  rider  does  not  feel  the 
crooked  or  uneven  position  of  the  horse,  he  must  call  his  at- 
tention thereto  by  repeated  questionings  as  to  which  of  the 
legs  stand  forward  or  backward. 


SECTION  12. 

Of  riding  in  a  Btraight  Line,  and  tvithoid  the  Assis- 
tance of  the  Wall  as  a  Guide. 

This  exercise  serves  to  teach  the  pupil  to  ride  straight  out, 
even  without  the  guidance  of  the  wall,  where  the  instructor 
has,  at  the  same  time  the  best  opportunity  of  observing  the 
position  of  the  outside  leg.  Upon  the  command  given  when 
along  the  wall — ^^Half  HclwolV — the  rider  must  turn  his 
horse   when  in   the  middle    of  the   riding  school,   and   ride 


41     

straight  across  the  school,  turning  his  horse  on  the  other  side 
in  the  same  direction  whence  he  came. 

Upon  the  command  given  when  along  the  wall, — ^^ Right 
(or  left)  turn!'' — (according  to  the  position  of  the  rider)  he 
should  turn  his  horse  to  the  proper  side,  riding  straight  across 
the  school,  and  arriving  at  the  opposite  wall,  he  must  follow 
on  the  same  hand. 

Upon  the  command  given,  when  along  the  short  wall, — 
^^Ont  of  the  middle!'' — the  riding  school  is  crossed  from  the 
centre  of  the  short  wall  in  its  whole  length,  and  after  having 
arrived  at  the  opposite  side,  the  rider  must  again  follow  on 
the  same  hand. 

SECTION    13. 
Of  Changing* 

After  a  few  rounds,  and  when  the  rider  begins  to  under- 
stand the  advantages  in  turning,  the  instructor  permits  him 
to  change  from  the  right  to  the  left  hand.  For  this  purpose 
he  commands — '^Change!'' — when  the  rider  has  reached  the 
long  wall  from  the  short  one,  nine  paces  out  of  the  corner; 
whereupon,  he  turns  the  horse  forward  to  the  right,  and  cros- 
ses the  square  of  the  school  diagonally  in  such  a  way,  that  he 
arrives  at  the  opposite  wall  nine  paces  from  the  corner.  He 
should  arrive  from  the  corner  that  number  of  paces  in  order 
to  prepare  his  horse  for  the  left  turning,  and  have  sufficient 
time  to  change  in  this  corner  the  position  of  the  horse. 

During  the  time  he  is  riding  in  the  diagonal  line,  the 
horse's  head  must  be  kept  on  the  inside  rein,  or  in  other 
words,  still  to  the  right ;  and  the  outside,  (or  left)  leg  must 
be  placed  well  behind  the  girth.  Upon  arriving  at  the  other 
wall,  the  horse  is  changed  to  the  other  hand — he  is  turned 
left,  and  the  position  of  the  head  is  therefore  altered  by  this 
changing  of  the  reins  and  pressing  of  the  legs.  To  change 
from  left  to  right,  the  opposite  helps  are  to  be  employed. 

The  rider  must  throw  both  shoulders  back  at  each  oom- 
mand,  so  that  the  upper  body  is  not  thi*own  forward. 


42     

SECTION    14. 

Of  Trotting, 

The  trot  is  for  tlie  begin ner  the  most  constant  exercise,  but 
the  most  difficult  movement  of  the  horse;  it  disturbs  the  seat, 
but  at  the  same  time  contributes  most  to  make  it  firm  and 
stead}^     It  should  therefore  be  practised  thoroughly. 

In  trotting,  the  horse  steps  forward  with  both  diagonal  feet 
at  the  same  time,  and  in  so  doing,  shows  two  hoof-prints. 

At  the  commencement  it  is  customary  to  pass  from  the 
walk  into  the  trot,  and  from  the  latter  back  again  into  fhe 
walk,  for  which  movements  the  instructor  commands — '■'•  Trot^^ 
— "March" — and  afterwards — "  WaW — "March  !" — To  pass 
from  walk  into  trot,  the  same  helps  serve,  only  in  a  some- 
what stronger  manner  as  in  starting  into  a  walk. 

An  even  tempo  is  the  great  art  in  trotting,  and  can  only  be 
acquired  by  a  quiet  settled  seat,  and  an  even  light  guiding. 

The  trotting  tempo  consists  in  about  250  paces  per  minute, 
and  the  trotting  out  in  about  300  paces. 

In  the  beginning,  the  rider  should  be  exercised  in  a  slow 
trot,  and  afterwards  in  a  quicker  one.  He  must  be  instructed, 
that  if  the  horse  increase  his  speed,  he  should  draw  in  both 
reins ;  and  if  he  slacken  his  gait,  he  should  keep  up  an  even 
tempoy  by  raising  the  hands  and  pressing  more  strongly  with 
the  legs. 

To  pass  from  the  trot  into  the  walk  the  same  helps  are  ap- 
plied as  in  halting  from  the  walk.  The  rider  keeps  the  legs 
pressed  to  the  horse  until  the  latter  has  adopted  the  tempo  ; 
the  reins  are  then  slackened,  and  the  legs  brought  into  their 
original  position. 

In  turning  towards  the  right  or  left  in  trotting,  the  seat, 
reins  and  legs  act  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  walk,  with 
the  exception,  that  the  rider  must  be  taught  to  lean  a  little 
more  to  the  inside,  to  adapt  himself  to  the  stronger  (shaking) 
movement. 

To  pass  at  once,  from  the  walk  into  the  trot,  the  start  must 
bo  given  to  the  horse  in  the  same  way  as  if  the  rider  desired 


43     

to  walk  him,  only  the  helps  must  be  increased  immediately 
and  until  he  adopts  the  right  movement. 

Very  frequently  the  rider  commits  in  this  movement  the 
fault  of  leaning  forward  with  the  upper  body,  to  let  the  reins 
go  loose,  instead  of  easing  the  forehand  of  the  horse  by  a  light 
raising  of  the  weight,  and  riding  on  with  a  straightened  upper 
body,  and  an  increasing  pressuie  of  the  legs. 

Should  the  command  of — ^'Atlention — Halt!" — be  ordered 
during  the  trot,  the  same  helps  are  to  be  resorted  to  as  in  the 
halt  from  a  w;dk,  only  in  a  manner  more  decided. 

To  increase  the  tempo  of  the  trot,  the  same  helps  are  re- 
peated as  in  passing  from  a  walk  into  the  trot;  and  for  the 
shortening  of  this  gait  the  same  helps  are  applied  as  is  pass- 
ing from  the  trot  into  walk. 

(The  teacher  should  make  the  rider  understand,  that  the 
changing  from  one  gait  to  another,  should  be  executed  in  an 
even  manner,  and  by  means  of  increasing  heljDS ;  any  hurry- 
ing by  sudden  pushings  or  jerkings  of  the  legs  is  disadvant- 
ageous.) 

In  trotting  out,  as  in  all  quick  gaits,  little  or  no  gathering 
of  the  head,  cither  outside  or  inside,  is  possible,  as  the  horse 
can  only  go  briskly  forward  into  the  reins  with  jf  straight  head 
and  neck. 

The  command  for  an  increased  tempo  is — ^'■Trot  out — 
March  f  for  a  shortening  of  the  gait — "Slow  Trot—3Iarch." 

The  teacher  should  see  that  the  rider  goes  well  into  the 
corners  in  the  slow  trot,  and  that  the  horse  is  again  well 
turned  out  of  them  in  an  even  and  steady  tempo,  without 
hesitating;  also,  that  in  trotting  out,  the  corners  are  well 
rounded,  because  the  horse  is  more  stretched,  and  a  sudden 
turning  can  only  be  very  injurious  to  him. 

As  the  exercises  in  the  riding  school  are,  at  the  beginning, 
very  fatiguing,  a  halt  is  ordered  occasionally,  to  give  the  rider 
time  to  recover  himself,  when  the  rider  takes  the  whip  and 
both  reins  crosswise  into  the  outer  hand,  having  the  inner 
one  at  rest.  If  he  has  already  received  some  instruction  in 
trotting,  and  has  learned  to  keep  his  body  in  balance,  exercise 


44     

in  the  walk  and  trotting  loifhouf  stirrups  may  be  taken,  as  by 
this  means  he  will  acquire  a  firm  and  settled  seat,  and  more 
confidence  in  himself. 

A  short  trot,  in  the  commencement,  should  be  ridden;  and 
repeated  stoppages  be  made  in  order  not  to  fatigue  the  rider 
too  much. 

In  such  lessons  more  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  right 
position  of  the  upper  body,  and  the  unconstrained  position  of 
the  thighs  (the  muscles  of  which  must  not  by  any  means  be 
tightly  contracted)  than  to  the  guiding. 

The  changes  now  spoken  of  must  be  executed,  at  the  be- 
ginning, only  in  the  walk. 

Finally,  the  instructor  should  see,  that  the  pupil  rides  as 
much  upon  the  right,  as  upon  the  left  hand,  in  order  to  ob- 
tain an  even  seat. 

SECTION  15. 

0/  the  Large    Volte. 

When  the  pupil  has  learned  to  ride  in  a  straight  line,  and 
to  guide  his  horse  in  and  out  of  the  corners,  then  only,  and 
by  no  means  fooner,  can  he  be  exercised  in  the  large,  and  af- 
terwards in  the  small  volte — first  in  a  walk,  and  afterwards  in 
trot  on  both  hands. 

The  large  volte  is  always  practised  out  of  the  corner.  In  this 
exercise  the  instructor  places  himself,  when  the  rider  conies 
towards  a  corner,  about  ten  paces  from  the  same,  and  orders, 
as  soon  as  he  begins  to  turn, — ^^ Large  Volte  !" — Whereupon 
the  rider  describes  a  large  circle  around  the  teacher,  and  re- 
peats the  same  until  "Forwarch"  is  commanded. 

The  teacher  must  see  that  this  exercise  is  ridden  in  an  ex- 
act circle,  sufficiently  large,  and  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  or- 
der j  since,  in  this  case,  the  horse  goes  as  it  were  between  the 
hand  and  the  leg ;  and  the  object  of  the  large  volte,  or  of  the 
riding  in  a  circle,  is  obtained,  viz : — the  pupil  is  obliged  to 
use  more  combined  and  concerted  helps,  without  which  it  is 
impossible  to  keep  the  horse  upon  the  circle. 


45     

As  the  large  volte  is  nothing  more  than  a  continuous  turn- 
ing, the  helps  given  upon  this  subject  in  Sect.  9,  are  to  be 
resorted  to;  in  addition  to  this,  care  must  be  taken,  that  the 
croup  is  well  controlled  by  placing  the  outside  leg  firmly  be- 
hind the  girth,  to  prevent  the  horse  from  breaking  out 

A  skilful  instructor  will  dwell  upon  this  exercise  of  riding 
in  a  circle  for  some  time,  as  it  is  the  best  means  of  thoroughly 
grounding  the  rider  in  the  position,  the  movements  of  the 
hands  for  turning,  and  the  use  of  the  legs. 

In  the  walk,  the  instructor  can  better  perceive  and  correct 
the  faults  which  the  rider  and  horse  commit ;  whereas,  in  the 
trot  it  is  more  difficult,  because  the  movement  of  the  horse  is 
more  laborious  for  the  rider;  and  as  he  must  pay  attention  to 
the  firmness  of  his  seat,  he  can  consequently  think  less  of  the 
proper  guiding;  the  instructor  has  also  the  best  opportunity 
of  observing  if  the  outside  leg  be  well  applied  by  placing  him- 
self on  the  outer  side. 

SECTION  10. 

Of  the  Small  Volte. 

The  small  volte  is  distinguished  from  the  large  volte,  inas- 
much as  the  circle  of  the  former  is  smaller  in  diameter.  In  the 
large  volte,  if  several  ride  together,  they  follow  each  other; 
whilst  in  the  small  volte,  each  rider  for  himself  describes  a 
circle  in  the  same  direction.  It  can  be  executed  not  only  from 
oat  of  the  corner,  but  also,  from  the  long  wall;  and  if  several 
ride  together,  it  must  be  executed  from  the  long  wall. 

All  the  observations  made  as  to  the  large  volte  are  appli- 
cable also  to  the  small  one,  with  the  remark,  that  the  size  of 
the  circle  to  be  described,  is  to  be  calculated  in  accordance 
with  the  skilfulness  of  horse  and  rider;  that  is  to  say,  the 
shorter  the  tempo,  the  smaller  is  the  circle  that  can  be  ridden, 
and  the  smaller  and  more  exact  the  circle,  the  more  agility  is 
required  from  rider  and  horse. 

During  the  execution  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  circle,  the 
inside  leg  should  act  predominantly ;  during  the  second  and 


46     

third  quarters,  the  outside,  and  during  the  last  quarter  of  the 
circle^  the  inside  one  again  acts  most. 

The  small  volte,  upon  that  command,  is  to  be  repeated  ei- 
ther in  the  walk  or  trot  until  ^^forwards''  is  ordered;  whereas, 
in  the  gallop,  it  is  only  executed  once,  at  the  termination  of 
which  the  pupil  rides  straight  ahead  without  any  further  or- 
ders. If  the  rider  understand  well  the  movement  in  the  walk, 
both  voltes  must  be  exercised  on  both  hands,  right  (and  left) 
in  trot  as  well  as  in  gallop. 

SECTION  17. 
Of  the  Changing  short-about. 

By  means  of  exercises  in  the  large  and  small  voltes,  and 
their  thorough  comprehension,  the  rider  has  become  prepared 
for  the  changing  out  of  the  small  volte,  which  contributes  con- 
siderably to  his  activity  and  suppleness. 

The  instructor,  during  the  riding  straight  ahead,  commands 
— '^ Right  {left)  ahoiit — change!" 

Upon  the  command  "Right  (^or  left)  about,"  the  horse  is 
gathered,  so  that  he  lightly  leans  on  the  croup,  and  the  fore- 
hand is  eased  for  a  free  movement. 

Upon  the  command — "Change!" — the  turning  of  tlte  horse 
follows  in  a  small  circle  to  the  other  hand. 

It  is  necessary  to  observe  here,  that  tha  horse  is  never 
pulled  around  upon  the  spot,  but  that  he  is  turned  around  in 
a  small  circle.  The  same  rule  applies  to  all  turnings  that  are 
executed  in  an  active  forward  movement. 

At  the  commencement  of  this  movement  the  same  rules 
apply  as  in  the  small  volte ;  but  in  the  second  half  the  out- 
side leg  must  be  well  applied,  and  an  oblique  direction  taken 
towards  the  wall.  The  position  of  the  horse's  head  is  changed 
only  on  arriving  at  the  wall. 

With  more  advanced  riders,  the  second  half  of  the  turn 
about  movement,  if  made  in  the  walk,  must  be  executed  with 
a  half-travers,  obliquely  forward  to  the  wall,  as  described  in 
Sect.  23,  on  that  subject. 


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47     

In  the  plan  (Fig.  1)  the  movement  of  the  horse  is  given, 
not  only  for  this  sort  of  a  short  turning,  but  also  in  Fig.  2  for 
the  small  volte.  By  these  lessons,  and  especially  if  the  rider 
understands  properly  the  exercise  in  the  walk,  (which  should 
afterwards  be  executed  in  trot,  and  then  in  gallop)  he  learns 
how  to  handle  the  horse  with  reflection,  and  without  causing 
him  any  injury  in  the  movement. 

It  is  to  be  observed,  that  for  greater  precaution  against  in- 
jury to  the  horse  in  all  quick  and  sharp  gaits,  the  changing 
must  take  place  more  in  a  forward  direction,  and  in  a  circle 
of  greater  dimensions.  In  trotting  out,  or  in  the  extended 
gallop,  this  changing  about  must  not  be  undertaken. 

SECTiON  18. 
Of  the  Turning  Eight  and  Left  upon  one  Spot. 

The  turnings  to  the  right  and  left,  to  right  about  and  left 
about,  are  only  taught  to  the  rider  when  he  is  firm  in  his  seat, 
and  sufficiently  instructed  in  guiding;  in  one  word,  when  he 
.  is  able  to  ride  in  his  place  in  the  file.  They  must  be  executed 
about  the  centre  of  the  horse,  so  that  the  forehand  and  croup 
move  equally  in  opposite  directions.  They  can  be  eff"ected  on 
the  haunches  also,  and  thereby  the  easy  turning  of  the  fore- 
hand around  the  rear  is  acquired,  showing  at  the  same  time 
the  skill  of  the  rider  as  a  rider,  and  the  thorough  training  of 
the  horse.  These  exercises  upon  the  spot  are  especially  in- 
structive, inasmuch  as  they  show  the  rider  plainly  the  efi"ect 
of  rein  and  leg ;  they  are  also  accompanied  with  the  least  fa- 
tigue to  teacher  or  horse. 

The  turnings  upon  the  centre  are  those  that  occur  most 
frequently;  for  any  riding  through  the  corners  or  in  the  cir- 
cle is  already  a  continued  turning  upon  the  centre  during  the 
gait.  They  are  executed  upon  the  command  of  ^^ Rigid  (or 
left)  turn— March!''  '^ Rigid  (or  left)  ahoid — MarchV'—is 
only  a  double  right  or  left  turn. 

To  execute  these  turns  properly  from  a  state  of  repose,  that 
is,  upon  the  spot,  so  that  the  girth  is  the  centre  or  axis  upon 


48     

which  the  horse  turns,  the  rider  should  raise  the  horse  some- 
what with  the  reins,  and  press  him  forward  with  the  legs, 
and  in  the  movement  the  horse  prepares  himself  to  move  for- 
ward, and  the  rider  turns  the  hand  in  the  manner  already 
described  in  the  direction  commanded.  In  this  manner  the 
forehand  is  led,  and  whilst  the  inner  leg  is  pressed  on,  the 
croup  moves  toward  the  other  side,  so  that  the  horse  moves 
as  much  with  the  croup  from  the  straight  line  as  with  the 
forehand,  but  in  the  opposite  directions,  consequently  all 
four  feet  are  moved  equally.  The  outside  leg  is  kept  near  by, 
just  feeling  the  horse ;  to  finish  off  the  turning,  the  outside 
rein  and  leg  are  brought  into  play,  both  reins  are  at  once 
slackened,  and  the  horse  is  placed  in  a  straight  position. 

To  produce  the  turnings  upon  the  haunches  in  a  state  of 
repose — ^^Rigltt  (or  left)  Turn" — or  ^'Eight  (irft)  About — 
March"  — is  commanded;  whereupon  the  horse,  by  a  raising 
of  the  reins,  and  by  a  pushing  forward  of  the  legs,  is  put  into 
a  forward  movement ;  the  outside  leg  must  be  jilaced  firmly 
behind  the  girth,  to  prevent  the  haunches  from  moving  more 
than  to  produce  the  steps  of  the  hindlegs — the  inner  leg  form- 
ing the  principal  base  and  the  centre  of  the  circle  which  the 
forehand  must  describe.  The  inside  rein  guides  the  forehand, 
and  the  inner  leg  prevents  the  horse  from  creeping  backward. 

To  finish  off"  this  turning,  the  outside  rein  is  gathered,  both 
reins  are  then  slackened,  and  the  horse  is  placed  straight. 


SECTION  19. 
0/  the  Bendinc/. 

In  practising  the  turnings  upon  the  spot,  the  bending  of 
the  horse,  and  the  bringing  in  of  the  head  is  to  be  explained 
to  the  rider,  and  to  be  practised  by  him,  so  that  he  can  apply 
it  with  young  horses. 

For  this  purpose  the  horse  must  first  of  all  be  placed  straight 
on  his/oi/r  feet — the  rider's  thighs  beiog  placed  so  near,  that 
he  does  not  move  backward  upon  the  acting  of  the  reins. 


49     

Now  in  order  to  bend  the  horse  with  the  snaffle^  upon  the 
command  of — '-Horse  s  head  to  the  Right!" — the  neck  must 
be  somewhat  raised  with  the  reius;  the  inner  (in  this  instance 
the  right)  hand  turned  screw-like,  inwards  and  upwards,  until 
the  horse  brings  in  his  neck  in  the  joint  so  much,  that  any- 
one standing  near  his  neck  with  the  face  turned  toward  it, 
woukl  look  straight  into  the  animal's  fiice.  The  left  rein  is 
held  proportionally  in  opposition,  so  that  the  horse  does  not 
bend  too  quickly  or  too  much,  and  only  in  the  neck. 

The  practice  often  followed  of  tugging  and  plucking  at  the 
inner  hand  and  reins  without  any  feeling  of  guiding,  must  by 
no  means  be  allowed. 

In  this  position  both  reins  are  kept  until  the  horse  chews 
the  bit,  which  is  produced  by  a  gentle  reminder  of  the  legs. 
The  head  must  be  continually  in  a  perpendicular  line  with 
the  ground,  as  otherwise  the  bend  will  be  incomplete,  and 
consequently  the  facility  of  guiding  imperfect. 

When  the  horse  has  been  for  some  little  time  in  this  posi- 
tion  he  is   returned  to  his  natural  one,  at  the  command  of 
"Replace!"  the  left  rein  being  brought  to  act  in  such  mannei 
that  it  by  degrees  brings  the  head  into  a  straight  position. 

Upon  the  command— ''^or.sc's  head  to  the  Left !"^t[iG 
opposite  movement  is  executed,  in  a  similar  manner,  but  by 
inverse  means. 

The  bringing  in  of  the  horse's  head  is  more  of  an  exercise 
with  the  curb,  which  is  fully  set  forth  in  Sect.  32.  When 
used  in  moderation,  and  not  too  long  at  a  time,  it  helps  great- 
ly to  prepare  the  horse  for  the  guiding,  and  to  keep  him  al- 
ways obedient  to  the  reins, 

SECTION   20. 

0/  Backing. 

The  horse  should  back  slowly,  step  by  step,  with  neck  erect, 
lowered  back  and  bent  haunches,  so  that  the  rider  has  always 
the  feeling  that  he  might  at  any  moment  make  him  either  go 
forward  or  halt. 

5 


50     

During  the  execution  of  this  movement  the  instructor  places 
himself  directly  in  front  of  the  rider,  so  as  to  observe  whether 
the  horse  is  placed  straight,  and  then  only  commands — ^'Bacl-- 
wards — March";  when  the  horse  is  put  in  motion  somewhat 
forwards  (before  the  commencement  of  going  baci. wards)  by  a 
combined  action  of  hand  and  leg ;  the  upper  body  is  well  sus- 
tained, and  the  seat  is  firmly  kept  in  the  saddle ;  the  little 
fingers  of  the  hands  are  raised,  or  turned  screw-like  towards 
the  stomach,  never  drawing,  but  rather  pressing  and  yielding; 
both  legs  remaining  near  the  horse,  to  keep  the  croup  in  a 
straight  line,  to  push  him  forward  if  he  should  hurry,  and 
prevent  him  from  backing  further  if  it  is  desired  to  stop. 

Correct  backing  can  only  be  accomplished  with  ease,  when 
the  rider  feels  the  treading  of  the  hindfoot  beneath  him,  and 
lets  one  hindfoot  after  the  other  tread  backwards,  with  alter 
nate  increased  pressure  of  the  rein  of  the  same  side,  and  cor- 
rect cooperation  of  the  legs. 

If  the  croup  deviates  from  the  straight  lino,  it  is  not  suffi- 
cient to  hold  in  opposition  the  corresponding  leg,  but  the  rein 
of  the  same  side  must  also  act  somewhat  more  strongly. 

Upon  the  command — ''Halt" — the  rider  places  his  horse 
straight  forwards,  gradually  slackens  the  reins,  and  diminishes 
the  pressure  of  rein  and  Irj  only  when  the  horse  stands  quiet. 

During  backing, — upon  the  command  of  "Forward — 
March" — the  horse  can,  without  stopping,  be  put  in  a  for- 
ward movement,  with  all  the  before  mentioned  helps  for  start- 
ing, by  which  means  the  pupil's  attention  is  better  kept  up. 

That  the  rider  must  not  by  any  means  fall  forwards  with 
the  upper  body ;  and  that  he  must  properly  draw  back  his 
shoulder  blades  is  understood  as  a  matter  of  course. 

The  start  must  never  be  given  into  a  trot  or  gallop  from 
the  backing  motion.  When  either  of  these  gait  are  desired, 
the  rider  must  first  halt  from  backing  before  so  doing. 


51     

SECTION  21? 

Of  the  Sldewlse  Movements^  known  as  the  Travers 
or  Passage. 

Those  movements  constitute^  what  is  called  by  the  French 
writers  the  ^^ Manege  de  deux  pistes.'' 

La  piste  is  an  imaginary  line,  upon  which  the  horse  is  made 
to  walk.  When  the  hind  legs  follow  the  same  line  as  the  fore 
ones,  the  horse  is  said  to  go  d'une  piste,  or  on  one  line.  He 
goes  de  deux  pistes,  or  on  two  lines,  when  his  hind  legs  pass 
along  a  line  parallel  to  that  traced  by  the  forelegs. 

When  the  horse  places  the  hind  feet  in  a  straight  line  into 
the  hoof-prints  of  the  fore  feet,  it  is  called  a  simple  gait.  But 
when  the  fore  and  hind  feet,  each  pair  for  themselves,  tread 
in  two  parallel  lines,  as  in  the  Travers,  where  the  movement 
of  the  horse's  legs  is  fraiu  one  side  to  the  other,  at  right  an- 
gles to  his  spine,  it  is  called  a  double  gait. 

A  Passage  (Travers)  to  be  well  executed,  not  only  serves 
to  give  a  horse  the  necessary  suppleness,  to  make  him  under* 
stand  the  meaning  of  hand  and  leg,  and  to  accustom  him  to 
them,  but  also  gives  the  rider  a  right  idea  of  the  position  of 
the  horse,  and  of  the  manner  of  making  use  of  hand  and  leg. 

Before  making  a  change  from  the  straight  gait  into  a  pas- 
sage, the  rider  must  always  gather  Ids  horse. 

The  weight  of  the  rider  must  then  fall  towards  the  inner 
side  of  the  inside  seat-bone,  and  particular  attention  must  be 
paid  that  the  weight  does  not  lie  on  the  other  side,  which  is 
that  of  the  driving::  Ic";. 

The  leg  which  does  not  drive  the  horse  sidewise,  must  al- 
ways be  ready  to  push  him  forwards  in  case  he  should  hold 
back. 

The  tempo  or  gait  must  be  slow  and  even;  the  position  and 
direction  of  the  horse  must  alwa3^s  remain  the  same,  so  that 
neither  the  fore  nor  hind  legs  are  hurried,  or  checked. 

The  making  a  change  from  the  passage  to  the  volte,  serves 
not  only  to  teach  the  rider  the  use  of  hand  and  leg,  but  serves 


' 52     

also  to  make  the  horse  obey  in  a  deoided  manner  the  move- 
ments of  the  hand.  The  forehand  must  always  precede  the 
croup,  as  otherwise,  the  horse  is  apt  to  strike  himself  in  the 
knees,  to  tread  on  the  coronet,  and  to  get  out  of  position ;  he 
will  not  bend  in  the  ribs  behind  the  shoulders,  and  his  hind 
leg,  being  uncontrolled,  will  be  improperly  placed. 

Kepeated  stops  serve  to  show  whether  the  rider  has  the 
horse  under  control  with  hand  and  leg,  as  otherwise  the  horse, 
before  coming  to  a  halt,  will,  as  it  were,  sway  about.  The 
teacher  will  then  also  have  an  opportunity  to  bring  the  hands 
again  in  a  right  position,  and  to  correct  the  seat,  which  young 
riders  are  in  their  first  lessons  very  apt  to  derange. 

The  passage  in  the  beginning  is  only  to  be  executed  in  the 
walk. 

SECTION  22. 
Of  the  Head  or  Shoulder  inwards. 

{L'epaule  en  dedans.) 

■  This  exercise  is  to  be  first  executed  in  a  wide  circle,  or  large 
volte ;  and  in  passing  to  the  '^shoulder  inwards,''  the  position 
of  the  horse  is  as  follows  : — 

The  head  of  the  horse  is  a  little  more  bent  to  the  inner  side 
than  is  the  case  in  riding  the  large  volte;  the  feet  are  so 
placed  that  the  inside  hind  hoof  treads  pretty  nearly  in  the 
circular  line  described  by  the  outside  forefoot ;  the  inside  feet 
go  forwards  and  over  the  outside  ones. — Should  the  croup  be 
driven  more  to  the  outside  than  just  mentioned,  the  horse 
will  find  it  difiicult  to  step  over  with  the  hind  feet,  as  the 
sidewise  steps  become  too  large;  or  should  the  horse  with  the 
croup  step  backwards,  the  object  is  not  attained,  as  instead  of 
making  the  horse  supple  in  the  croup,  he  is  made  stiff  in  the 
shoulders,  and  is  apt  to  move  with  a  stiiF  back. 

The  means  at  the  disposal  of  the  rider  are  : — to  produce 
through  the  pressure  of  the  hand  upon  the  inner  rein,  a  more 
gathered  or  higher  position  of  the  head,  and  to  bring  the  fore- 
part of  the  horse  more  in  a  circle ;  the  outside  rein  must  in- 
dicate how  far  he  is  to  go  in  this  position. 


53     

By  placing  the  inner  leg  upon  the  girth,  the  rider  drives 
the  horse  sidewise,  and  helps  to  bend  him ;  the  outside  leg, 
placed  as  it  is  behind  the  girth,  determines  how  far  the  croup 
is  to  come  out,  and  helps  to  push  the  horse  forward,  or  to 
keep  him  back,  in  case  he  should  linger  or  hurry  with  the 
croup.  The  seat  help  is  by  the  weight  on  the  inner  seat-bone, 
— the  shoulder  and  hip  placed  somewhat  back. 

In  passing  into  the  straight  gait,  the  croup  remains  in  its 
position  or  line,  and  the  forepart  is  brought  in  slowly. 

To  exercise  "the  shoulder  inside"  in  the  school  or  quad- 
rangle, the  rider  must  use  the  same  means  as  in  the  turn — 
bringing  the  horse  one  pace  away  from  the  wall  with  the  fore- 
hand. As  soon  as  the  horse  is  in  that  position,  the  reins 
must  be  somewhat  relaxed,  and  the  legs  used  in  the  above 
mentioned  manner,  so  as  to  produce  the  double  hoof -heat. 

Should  the  horse  lose  the  position,  or  try  to  get  out  of  it, 
the  rider  must  recur  to  the  first  exercise. 

To  pass  the  corners,  the  reins  must  be  steadied,  the  inner 
leg  must  be  used  more  strongly,  and  the  horse  must  be  led 
through  them  in  a  bent  position,  and  with  the  double  lioof- 
beat. 

It  often  happens  that  in  this  exercise  the  rider  begins  the 
movement  too  soon,  by  bringing  the  forepart  of  the  horse  too 
far  away  from  the  wall,  by  which  he  loses  his  object. 

To  pass  from  the  ^^shoulder  inside"  into  the  half-travers  (or 
renvers),  both  legs  must  first  press  the  horse  in  the  same  po- 
sition a  few  paces  forward,  and  then  go  over  into  linlf-travera 
(as  in  the  next  Section.) 

SECTION  23. 
Of  the  Half- Tr avers  or  Renvers. 

This  exercise  is  executed  either  through  the  whole  riding 
school  forwards,  on  the  line  of  the  ordinary  diagonal  (change), 
or  from  the  middle  of  the  short  wall  forwards  to  the  middle  of 
the  long  wall. 

Jn  the  former  case,  when  the  rider  is  passino;  throuo:h  the 


54    

corner  J  and  has  reached  the  long  wall,  the  command  is  as  fol- 
iQTjyrg  . — <'From  the  corner  change  into  Renvers," — (or  half- 
travers) ;  in  the  latter  case,  "from  the  middle  chcim/e  into 
half -tr  avers." 

The  rider  must  in  both  cases  ride  nine  paces  straight  for- 
wards, place  the  horse  in  a  diagonal  line,  then  bring  him  over 
little  by  little  into  haJf-jyassage  or  renvers. 

The  position  of  the  horse  will  then  be  as  follows  : — The 
head  of  the  horse  remains  placed,  during  this  change,  upon 
the  inside  rein  ;  the  middle  part  of  the  horse  is  bent,  and  the 
outer  feet  tread  a  little  over  the  inner  ones. 

The  helps  given  by  the  rider  are  : — In  turning  into  the 
diagonal  line,  the  rider  must  already  have  brought  the  outside 
leg  well  behind  the  girth,  the  inside  leg  remaining  close  to 
the  horse.  By  an  increased  pressure  upon  the  inside  rein,  a 
good  position  of  the  head  is  secured  ;  the  rider's  outside  leg- 
compels  the  croup  to  follow,  while  the  inside  leg  is  always  in 
readiness  to  push  the  horse  forward,  and  to  prevent  the  croup 
from  breaking  out ;  the  weight  of  the  rider  should  fall  more 
upon  the  inside  seat  bone.  As  soon  as  the  pupil  arrives  at 
the  other  wall,  he  changes  his  position  without  further  com- 
mand and  rides  straight  forward. 

SECTION  24. 
Of  the  Croup  inside;  or  Head  to  the  WalL 

{Tt'ie  CIV  Miir.) 

This  exercise  is  to  be  performed  as  follows  :— After  having 
given  the  right  position  to  the  head  of  the  horse  by  bending 
it  upon  the  inside  rein,  keeping  the  outside  one  on  the  neck, 
it  is  necessary  to  retain  the  horse  with  both  reins  against  the 
outside  hindfoot  (in  the  case  of  the  croup  inside  to  the  right) 
with  the  position  of  the  head  towards  the  right,  as  in  passing 
into  the  gallop ;  the  outside  leg  must  be  pressed  so  far  behind 
the  girth,  that  the  croup  comes  one  pace  away  from  the  wall. 
The  inside  leg  pushes  the  horse  forward  into  the  inside  rein, 
.and  prevents  the  croup  fiom  hurrying.    Horses  most  general- 


55     

ly  are  inclined  to  hold  back ;  the  rider  must  be  careful,  there- 
fore, to  keep  the  horse's  head  so  much  away  from  the  wall  as 
to  be  able  to  push  him  forward  in  case  of  need 

In  turning  in  this  passage,  the  hands  must  rather  turn  the 
forepart  of  the  horse  quickly,  while  at  the  same  time  the  in- 
side leg,  by  steady  counter  pressure,  shortens  the  steps  of  the 
hindfeet.  The  outside  leg  remains  well  behind  the  girth  near 
the  horse,  to  carry  along  the  croup  in  making  the  change. 

This  exercise  gives  the  rider  an  idea  of  the  position  in 
starting  into  the  gallop,  in  which  act  also  it  happens  too  often 
that  the  croup  gets  placed  too  far  from  the  wall. 

It  is  a  most  useful  thing  to  try  this  passage  along  the  mid- 
dle of  the  school  in  a  straight  line  away  from  the  wall. 

SECTION  25. 
Of  the  full  Passage. 

[Travers.) 

^^he.  full  Travers  is  made  in  a  straight  line  sidewisc,  as  fol- 
lows : — Upon  the  command — ^^ Passage  left'^  {or  right) — the 
rider  looks  toward  the  side  indicated ;  upon  the  succeeding 
—  '^3Iarch!^' — the  horse's  head  is  turned  to  the  side  towards 
which  the  rider  wishes  to  go ;  the  forepart  must  somewhat 
precede  the  croup;  but  the  hoof-prints  of  the  fore  and  hind 
feet  must  be  parallel. 

The  helps,  which  are  required  of  the  rider,  are : — To  raise 
the  horse  somewhat  with  the  bridle  —  to  push  him  forward 
with  both  legs — to  turn  the  forehand  to  the  side  towards 
which  he  wishes  to  go — to  keep  the  outside  leg  behind  the 
girth  so  as  to  move  the  croup,  and  to  use  the  inside  one  to 
prevent  the  horse  from  holding  back.  The  weight  of  the 
rider  is  to  be  transferred  somewhat  to  the  inside. 

To  arrest  the  movement,  upon  the  command — '^Uah!'' — 
the  reins  must  be  somewhat  gathered,  and  the  inner  leg  be 
well  pressed  on.  The  pupil  must  be  taught  to  bring  the  horse 
at  once  back  to  his  usual  position. 

These  movements  can  also  be  beirun  while  the  horse  is  in 


56     

a  walk;  ill  order  to  which^  the  commaad  is  first  given — ^'OtU 
in  the  m'uJiUcF' — and  when  he  has  ridden  several  paces, — 
^^ Passu (je  Riijht  (or  left)  /" — the  rider  must  make  use  in  the 
s-mie  way  of  the  means  above  described,  by  bringing  the  horse 
across  in  a  straight  line  to  the  long  wall,  keeping  line  parallel 
to  it,  and  on  arriving  thereat,  without  further  command,  he 
continues  his  way  in  the  other  direction. 

If  the  pupil  be  riding  on  the  right  hand,  the  f ravers  should 
be  made  to  the  right;  and  if  on  the  left  hand,  the  f ravers  is 
made  to  the  left. 

It  often  happens  that  in  making  the  t ravers,  the  inner  leg 
is  but  little  used,  or  perhaps  not  at  all ;  and  instead  of  plac- 
ing the  horse  more  upon  the  hand  and  guiding  him,  he  is  re- 
tained towards  the  outer  side ;  for  instance,  in  the  passage  to 
the  right,  instead  of  guiding  right,  he  is  retained  to  the  left, 
as  he  should  be  in  shoulder  inside,  cpanle  en  dedans,  or  in 
starting  in  the  gallop. 

SECTION  26. 
Of  the  Gallop. 

In  the  preceding  lessons  the  jaipil  will  have  learned  the 
proper  guiding  of  his  horse  as  well  as  the  different  applica- 
tions and  uses  of  the  legs,  and  is  now  sufficiently  prepared  to 
begin  with  the  gallop,  from  either  the  right  or  left  side. 

The  gallop  has  three  beats,  at  the  lifting  or  putting  down 
of  the  four  feet. 

If  we  consider  a  horse  galloping  on  the  right  hand,  with 
his  right  fore  foot  in  advance,  we  observe  at  the  moment  of 
rising,  that  he  lifts  in  the  first  movement  the  right  fore  foot, 
in  the  second  one  the  left  fore  and  right  hind  foot,  and  in 
the  third,  the  left  hind  foot,  by  which  the  whole  body  of  the 
animal  is  raised  from  the  ground.  The  putting  down  of  the 
feet  takes  place  in  the  reverse  manner— the  left  hind  foot  is 
put  df)wn  first,  then  the  left  fore  and  right  hind  simultaneous- 
ly, finally  the  right  fore  foot  comes  to  the  ground  and  fin- 
ishes the  step. 


57     

III  gallopinn;  to  the  left  the  action  of  the  feet  in  raising;  and 
putting  them  down,  takes  place  in  the  inverse  order  to  that 
in  galloping  to  the  right. 

There  are  two  tempos  of  this  gait,  viz  : — the  gathered  and 
the  extended  gallop.  In  the  former  the  weight  of  the  horse 
is  more  upon  the  haunches,  while  in  the  latter  it  is  more 
equally  divided  between  front  and  rear ;  the  latter  is  there- 
fore easier  for  the  rider  to  accomplish  than  the  former. 

In  instructing  the  rider  in  the  tempo  of  the  gathered  gal- 
lop, the  teacher  must  not  suffer  it  to  become  too  short. 

In  the  riding  room,  upon  the  r'ujlit  liand,  (and  in  all  turn- 
ings to  the  right)  the  horse  must  gallop  right;  and  upon  the 
left  hand,  gallop  left.  The  rider  should  be  thoroughly  in- 
structed to  start  his  horse  in  gallop  on  either  hand,  right  or 
left,  without  a  wall,  upon  the  command  of  the  instructor,  and 
to  keep  up  this  gait  until  some  other  command  is  given. 

In  order  to  start  properly  on  the  right,  he  should  bring  the 
horse  into  the  following  position. —The  instructor  lets  the  pu- 
pil start  in  a  walk,  and  remarks  to  him  that  in  consequence 
of  preceding  explanations,  upon  the  preparatory  word — gal- 
lop— both  reins  with  rounded  wrist  joints  are  tightened  in 
the  direction  toward  the  outside  (in  this  case  the  left)  hind 
foot;  the  upper  body  is  placed  firmly  in  the  saddle;  the 
weight  of  the  body  bears  rather  on  the  left  seat-bone ;  the 
right  leg  is  kept  close  to  the  horse  at  the  girth,  the  left  one 
behind  the  girth.  The  horse  will  by  these  helps  place  the 
head  and  croup  somewhat  to  the  side  toward  which  he  is  to 
be  started,  which  in  this  case  is  to  the  right.  The  rider  still 
advancing  in  a  walk,  awaits  in  this  position  the  word — 
"3Iaoxh!" — which  the  instructor  must  not  give  until  the 
horse  is  in  the  position  just  described,  and  then  not  suddenly 
nor  sharply,  but  in  rather  a  drawling  manner;  the  horse  will 
then  fall  correctly  into  the  gallop  to  the  right,  if  he  is  driven 
with  both  legs,  the  outside  one  acting  a  little  more  strongly. 
The  rider  must  then  endeavor  to  keep  up  an  even  tempo 
(gait)  by  a  gentle  relaxing  and  retain  hig  of  the  reins — by 


■     58     

repeated  helps  of  the  legs^  if  the  horse  should  slacken  his  gait 
— or  by  a  steadying  of  the  seat  if  he  should  hurry. 

A  steady  seat  aids  materially  a  light  and  even  gait ;  and  an 
easy  quiet  sitting  in  the  saddle  moderates  an  extended  gallop 
just  at  the  moment  when  the  horse  rises  with  e^ichjumj),  and 
rests  on  the  croup,  which  is  called  ^'to  keep  the  gallop  with 
the  seat." 

The  rule  that  in  starting  into  the  gallop,  the  outside  rein 
should  be  retained  (a  little  tightened),  and  that  the  outside 
leg  must  act  more  strongly,  is  often  so  misunderstood,  that 
the  head,  instead  of  being  placed  as  above  described,  is  drawn 
outwards,  and  the  inner  leg  is  taken  away  from  the  horse  and 
stretched  forwards,  whereupon  the  hind  quarters  fall  in  with 
the  croup  raised,  in  consequence  of  the  immoderate  pressure 
of  the  outside  leg  alone. 

In  starting  into  the  gallop,  the  rider  must  be  impressed 
with  the  importance  of  easing  and  raising  the  horse  on  the 
inner  fore  foot.  This  is  most  easily  accomplished  when  the 
head  and  croup  are  placed  a  little  towards  the  side  on  which 
the  horse  shall  start,  and  in  order  to  this  the  inner  leg  must 
cooperate  strongly. 

The  mistake  that  happens  very  often  with  beginners  is, 
that  after  the  horse  has  taken  the  correct  gallop  by  the  retain- 
ing towards  the  outside  hind  leg  (as  for  instance,  in  the  gal- 
lop to  the  right  by  retaining  to  the  left)  that  this  retaining  to 
the  left  is  continued,  by  which  the  position  of  the  horse  be- 
comes too  much  bent,  so  that  he  cannot  raise  himself  properly 
for  the  succeeding  bounds,  and,  leaning  in  the  forehand  and 
bearing  against  the  reins,  gallops  with  the  croup  inwards. 

Immediately  after  starting  into  the  gallop  to  the  right,  the 
guiding,  from  a  retaining  to  the  left  must  change  to  a  retain- 
ing to  the  right,  as  by  a  special  action  with  the  inner  rein  the 
forehand  ought  to  be  raised  for  each  bound. 

For  turning  in  the  gallop,  the  same  helps  serve  as  in  the 
walk  or  trot,  only  the  outside  leg  should  be  placed  a  little 
more  behind  the  girth — in  order  without  driving  in  the  croup 
to  give  it  the  right  position.     The  weight  of  the  body  rests 


51)     

continually  upon  the  outer  seat-bone,  and  easily  adapts  itself 
to  the  turning  by  a  holding  back  of  the  inner  side. 

The  gallop  should  not  be  too  frequent  or  long  continued,  as 
it  fatigues  the  horse  without  advancing  our  object. 

The  pupil  should  first  be  taught  to  check  the  horse  from  a 
gallop  into  a  walk,  and  afterwards  to  halt  from  the  gallop. 
To  pass  from  the  gallop  into  a  walk,  the  horse  is  in  a  measure 
gathered  (with  the  upper  body  well  kept  up)  as  explained  for 
riding  in  the  walk. 

After  the  horse  has  come  into  the  walk,  the  hand  as  well 
as  the  legs  are  somewhat  relaxed. 

To  halt  on  the  spot  out  of  the  gallop,  both  hands  are  raised 
slightly,  with  the  little  fingers  screwfashion  towards  the  body, 
—  the  upper  body  somewhat  drawn  back, — the  legs,  so  as  to 
shove  the  rear  under,  are  pressed  on  in  the  same  position  in 
which  they  are,  whereupon  the  horse  is  halted  by  the  in- 
creased drawing  in  of  the  reins, — both  hands  being  then  im- 
mediately relaxed. 

When  the  rider  has  so  far  progressed  that  he  knows  how  to 
use  with  accuracy  the  cooperating  helps  of  hands  and  legs  for 
starting  into  a  gallop  to  the  right,  and  understands  well  how 
to  guide  his  horse  upon  the  right  hand,  the  teacher  then  al- 
lows him  to  change  in  a  walk  on  the  other  side,  and  reminds 
him  of  the  helps  for  the  gallop  to  the  left,  which  are  analog- 
ous to  those  for  the  riglit,  but  are  applied  inversely. 

After  the  beginner  has  in  this  way  received  the  first  idea 
of  galloping  to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  starting  out  of  the 
walk,  he  is  commanded  to  start  from  the  standing  position. 

In  order  to  do  this,  the  horse  must  first  be  placed  in  mo- 
tion as  if  the  rider  intended  to  start  him  in  a  walk ;  immedi- 
ately thereupon,  the  previously  described  helps  to  the  gallop 
are  given,  so  that  the  pupil  learns  by  degrees,  and  with  con- 
tinually increasing  skill  to  make  these  helps  act  together,  and 
at  the  same  moment.  The  rider  must  learn  to  give  gradu- 
ally increasing  helps,  in  order  not  to  startle  the  horse.  The 
teacher  must  not  omit  to  remind  him  in  starting  from  the 
spot  in  trot  or  in  gallop,  to  start  with  the  same  helps  as  from 


60     

rest  into  walk ;  after  this,  follow  the  proper  helps  for  the  trot 
or  gallop.  If  this  preparing  of  the  gait  be  neglected,  the  dis- 
advantageous eifect  shows  itself  at  once  in  an  uneven  starting 
of  the  horse. 

In  order  to  pass  from  the  trot  into  the  gallop,  the  trot  must 
be  shortened  bj  degrees,  and  the  same  help  applied  as  for 
starting  from  the  walk. 

The  pupil  must  be  instructed  to  seize  the  moment  for  start 
ing,  when  the  horse  is  in  the  act  of  raising  the  inner  fore  foot, 
and  in  riding  to  the  left,  the  left  one.  The  most  favorable 
moment  for  this  is  in  finishing  a  volte,  or  in  riding  through 
a  corner. 

To  pass  from  gallop  into  trot,  the  weight  of  the  body  must 
first  be  placed  evenly  upon  both  seat-bones,  and  the  gallop 
should  be  finished  by  the  same  helps  as  in  passing  into  the 
walk  from  the  trot;  the  hand  must  then  be  relaxed  gently, 
and  the  horse  brought  into  the  trot  by  a  settling  of  the  scat, 
by  a  quiet  pressing  on  of  the  legs,  and  by  a  well  kept  up  posi- 
tion of  the  upper  body. 

The  mistake  often  happens  in  this  exercise,  that  the  rider 
neglects  to  relax  the  hand  at  the  right  time  when  the  horse 
takes  to  the  trot, — that  he  then  falls  back  with  the  upper 
body,  and  stretches  out  the  legs. 

If  a  horse  be  excited  during  the  gallop,  it  is  well  to  let  him 
take  a  few  steps  backwards  after  finishing  the  gait. 

It  is  not  enough  that  the  rider  understands  how  to  use  the 
helps  for  starting  into  the  gallop,  he  must  be  able,  also,  to  dis- 
tinguish by  his  '^rider-feeling"  whether  he  gallops  right  or 
left.  To  attain  this  end,  the  teacher  must  repeatedly  explain 
to  the  young  rider  the  diiference  in  placing  the  horse's  feet 
between  gallop  right  or  left;  that  during  gallop  right,  the 
right  legs,  and  during  gallop  left,  the  left  ones  are  in  advance. 
It  is  well  to  allow  a  good  galloping  horse  to  be  ridden  by  an- 
other person  in  order  to  show  him,  that  by  the  extending  or 
lifting  of  the  inner  legs  of  the  horse,  the  whole  inner  side  of 
the  rider,  and  especially  his  shoulder  and  leg  are  thrown  for- 


(31 

■Wiivd  ai)(l  upAvavd.  By  feeling  this  movement  duviup;  the  gaU 
lop,  lie  will  know  whether  the  horse  galloi)s  right  or  left. 

Tt  fretjiientlj  happens,  either  by  the  .stubbornness  of  the 
htirse  or  the  inexperienee  of  the  rider,  that  he  adopts  a  very 
faulty  gait,  which  is  called  the  cro.<swm3  or  (h'.^vnifrd  ;/(iU'jp. 
In  this  gait  the  feet  are  not  set  down  naturally,  and  in  the 
proper  succession.  The  horse,  instead  of  starting,  (if  on  the 
right  hand)  with  the  right  fore  and  hind  feet,  steps  forward 
with  the  right  fore  and  left  hind  foot.  The  rider's  attention 
uiust  be  directed  to  the  fact  that  in  such  a  gait  he  feels  very 
irregular  disagreeable  knocks  iu  the  seat ;  and  that  in  such  a 
case  he  should,  by  a  liglit  checking  with  the  rains  — (the  jnill 
being  neither  so  firm  nor  so  long  continued  as  to  cause  him  to 
stop) — bring  the  horse  to  a  walk  in  order  to  start  anew  in  the 
proper  way. 

If  the  horse  against  the  will  of  the  rider  gallop  to  the  left 
instead  of  to  the  right,  or  vice  versa,  he  is  said  to  (jalloj)  fahc. 

That  the  rider  may  have  a  correct  idea  of  the  position  iu 
which  a  horse  should  be  placed,  to  make  it  easiest  to  put  hiui 
into  the  gallop  properly  (that  is  either  to  the  right  or  left)  a 
well  trained  animal  should  be  used,  who  waits  quietly  until 
the  helps  are  given,  (as  before  mentioned,)  by  retaining  the 
hand  toward  the  ouUide  left  hind  leg,  and  giving  the  neces- 
sary pressure  of  the  rider's  outude  leg  until  the  head  and  croup 
are  somewhat  placed  inwards  In  this  position  the  rider  is 
allowed  to  walk  his  horse  in  a  short  gait,  and  should  repeat 
the  helps  until  he  fully  understaiids  them. 

If  the  rider  has  already  acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  starting  on  the  long  wall,  it  would  be  well  to  allow  him  to 
exercise  the  same  in  the  middle  of  the  riding  school,  where  it 
will  be  easiest  to  demonstrate  to  him  how  necessary  it  is  to 
the  proper  Mdrtiitg  into  the  gallop,  to  place  the  horse  in  the 
position  above  explained.  The  neglect  of  this  is  the  principal 
mistake  made  by  young  i-iders,  inasmuch  as  they  are  disposed 
to  start  the  horse  into  the  gallop  with  the  outside  leg  onJ>/,  \i\\i\ 
by  leaning  forAvard  with  the  upper  body,— -forgetting  entirely 
that  the  lifting  of  the  foj-ehand,  (especially  the  easing  of  tho 


62     

inner  foot)  and  the  cooperation  of  the  inner  leg  has  been 
omitted. 

By  the  word  ^^position"  is  to  be  understood  not  only  the 
bending  of  the  horse  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  but  also  the 
raising  and  balancing. 

When  the  rider  has  acquired  through  lessons  and  exercise 
skill  in  starting  his  horse  properly  into  a  gallop  on  both  hands, 
he  should  then  be  allowed  to  try  the  large  and  small  volte, 
similar  to  that  in  trot.  To  this  especial  attention  from  the 
teacher  is  required,  that  the  volte,  as  well  as  the  turnings  in 
the  corners,  are  not  made  too  short  or  upon  a  slippery  ground; 
also  that  an  even  tempo  be  kept  up. 

SECTION  27. 
Of  the  Changing  in  Gallop. 

The  changing  of  the  gallop  is  the  last  exercise  for  the  pu- 
pil in  the  riding  school,  and  if  executed  with  readiness  and 
skill  is  the  most  artistic.  It  forms  the  foundation  of  that  per- 
fect management  of  the  horse,  putting  him  at  will  into  the 
various  gaits  and  movements,  which  is  of  the  highest  impor- 
tance to  the  single  rider. 

If  we  observe  a  horse  at  full  liberty,  he  will  be  seen  to  g.al- 
lop  sometimes  to  the  right  and  sometimes  to  the  left,  accord- 
iuir  to  the  turnings  he  makes,  and  these  changes  are  needful 
for  his  own  safety. 

Should  the  horse  not  change  in  turning  to  the  left,  or  omit 
to  place  his  two  left  feet  forward,  in  order  to  take  the  weight 
of  his  body,  the  rider  risks  falling  with  him.  Besides,  ex- 
perience shows  that  by  a  persistent  and  continued  galloping 
to  the  right,  the  horse's  left  shoulder  becomes  lamed,  imd 
both  left  legs  ruined.  He  must  therefore  be  exercised  in  the 
gallop  as  much  to  the  right  as  to  the  left.  It  is  essential,  also, 
to  acquaint  the  rider  with  the  helps,  by  means  of  which  he 
can  make  his  horse  gallop,  according  to  his  will,  to  either  the 
right  or  left,  without  dnnger  to  himself  or  injury  to  the 
animal. 

The  .safest  and  most  efficient  preparation  for  the  changing 


bo      

In  the  gallop  Is  to  teach  the  litler  to  enter  the  gait  to  the  right 
and  to  the  left  with  precision,  in  a  straight  line,  away  from 
the  wall,  changing  alternately  and  quickly.  The  command  to 
this  effect  is — ''Out  in  the  7mddle!" — and  Immediately  upon 
this — "Right  into  Gallop!'^ — The  rider  then  brings  his  horse 
into  the  proper  position ;  and  only  then,  the  teacher  com- 
mands— "March!" — whereupon,  the  horse  is  quietly  put  into 
a  gallop  to  the  right.  If  the  horse  has  executed  this  move- 
ment properly,  the  Instructor  then  commands — "WaUc!" — 
and  sees  that  a  quiet  walk  Is  ridden. 

He  then  reverses  the  command  to — '^Left  in  to  Galloj)  1" — 
when  the  rider  brings  his  horse  Into  that  position,  and  starts 
upon  the  command  of — "March!" — (if  the  position  be  a  cor- 
rect one)  Into  a  gentle  gallop.  If  the  horse  starts  properly, 
after  a  few  bounds  the  command  of — "WalJx!" — Is  again 
given. 

The  more  correctly  the  helps  are  applied,  the  more  quietly 
the  rider  goes  to  work,  and  the  more  carefully  a  good  position 
is  observed,  the  better  the  horse  will  start  Into  a  gallop. 

If  the  rider  wish  to  start  his  horse  In  a  gallop  from  the 
spot,  either  to  the  right  or  left,  on  a  line  away  from  the  wall, 
he  must  bear  well  In  mind  all  the  previous  observations,  and 
remember  to  use  the  pressure  of  the  leg  according  to  the  sen- 
sitiveness of  the  horse. 

If  the  rider  has  acquired  some  proficiency  In  starting  his 
horse  into  the  gallop  to  either  the  right  or  left  upon  the  com- 
mand, the  teacher  should  allow  him  to  change  during  the  gal- 
lop,— or  rather  to  ride  from  one  hand  to  the  other, — without 
the  horse  first  changing  his  feet,  and  commands — "Change!" 
— To  this  end,  the  rider  is  made  to  keep  his  horse  in  the  same 
position  to  the  right  until  the  teacher  orders — "Walk!" — 
which  must  take  place  on  arriving  at  the  long  wall,  about  nine 
paces  fix)ni  the  corner.  The  horse  Is  then  placed,  while  on  a 
gathered  short  walk,  upon  the  left  hand,  and  starts  quietly  to 
the  left  upon  the  command  of — "Gallop!" — "March!" 

Here  the  same  helps  are  brought  into  action,  and  in  the  same 
manner  as  on  the  right,  but  inversely. 


tl4     " 

By  these  exevoises,  tlie  lidei^lu.s  acfjuired  the  knowledge 
that  the  dilFercnt  positions  of  the  horse  alone  can  decide  the 
starting  into  a  gallop  to  the  right  or  to  the  left.  With  in- 
creasing skill  the  horse  is  allowed  finally  to  execute  this 
change  entirely  in  the  gallop. 

As  ^^diagonal"  as  well  as  ^^right"  or  ''left  ab(.iit  turn"  is 
only  a  sudden  transition  from  one  position  to  another,  the 
rider  keeps  his  horse  to  the  right  until  his  head  conies  to  the 
wall — if  he  rides,  for  instance,  in  gallop  to  the  right  in  chang- 
ing in  any  way. 

In  order  to  pass  from  the  right  to  the  left,  which  is  called 
cliangi'ng,  the  horse  is  taken  by  a  momentary  check  into  a 
walk,  without  any  command,  and  is  placed  immediately  upon 
the  other  hand  and  started  anew. 

In  changing  from  the  left  to  the  right  everything  is  exec- 
uted in  a  similar  manner,  but  by  inverse  means. 

Tn  the  foregoing  explanations,  all  the  requisite  helps  are 
minutely  described.  That  they  are  not  misused  or  improperly 
applied,  depends  entirely  upon  the  judgment  of  the  teacher, 
as  well  as  upon  repeated  practice  enabling  the  pupil  to  re- 
member how  to  apply  them. 

At  every  check  the  horse  must  be  placed  perfectly  straight ; 
and  freedom  of  rein  be  given  him. 

It  will  now  be  time  to  permit  the  rider  to  pass  from  the 
moderate,  into  an  extended  gallop,  preparatory  to  the  charge. 

For  increasing  or  shortening  the  gallop  the  same  helps  arc 
applied  as  in  the'  trot. — The  command  for  this  former  being 
— '^/«  the  extended  Gallop — March." 

The  rider  must  be  instructed  by  increasing  the  helps  gradu- 
ally, and  by  an  easy  cooperation  of  the  upper  body,  to  bring 
the  horse  into  a  quiet  long  stride,  and  to  keep  an  even  tempo. 

The  transition  into  a  short  gallop  must,  in  like  manner, 
be  made  by  degrees,  upon  the  command  of — "Short  Gallop)!'^ 

In  the  extended  gallop,  which  must  never  be  kept  up  too 
long,  the  corners  should  be  more  rounded  than  in  the  ordin- 
ary gallop.  In  this  gait  five  hundred  paces  are  calculated  to 
the  minute 


05 


Instruction  in  Riding  zvith  the  Curl)  and  Guiding  tvith 

the  Reins  in  one  Hand, 

SECTION  28. 

Whcu  throiigh  the  preceding  lessons  the  rider  is  sufficient!}' 
conversant  with  the  snaffle  reins  and  the  guiding-  with  both 
hands,  the  same  exercises  are  rehearsed  in  the  same  manner 
and  in  the  same  order,  step  by  step,  with  the  curb  guiding 
with  one  hand;  to  which  has  now  to  be  added  and  explained, 
only  that  which  has  a  special  bearing  upon  the  guiding  of  the 
horse  in  this  manner. 

The  helps  with  the  legs,  in  riding  with  the  curb,  are  simi- 
lar to  those  given  in  riding  with  the  snaffle. 

The  pupil  must  be  impressed  with  the  fact,  that  the  action 
of  the  curb  on  the  mouth  of  the  horse  is  much  stronger  than 
that  of  the  snaffle,  and  that  any  manipulation  must  therefore 
be  executed  with  more  caution, — never  in  a  jerking  way,  but 
always  in  a  screw-like  manner. 

Whilo  the  guiding  of  the  beginner  is  yet  imperfect,  he 
should,  in  order  to  protect  the  horse's  mouth,  have  the  curb 
chain  rather  loose,  and  ride  with  the  right  snaffle  rein  in  the 
right  hand. 

SECTION  29. 
.  Of  the  3Iounting  and  Dismounting, 

The  pupil  leads  his  horse  with  the  right  hand  to  the  riding 
school,  with  the  curb  chain  fastened.  He  grasps  the  snaffle 
reins  immediately  under  the  chin,  placing  his  thumb  and 
forefinger  upon  both  buckles  of  these  reins,  and  takes  his 
position  as  prescribed  in  Sect.  2.  The  curb  reins  are  passed 
through  a  loop  on  the  snaffle  reins,  so  that  the  latter  hang 
down  between  the  curb  reins  and  the  horse's  neck. 

The  instructor  then  examines  to  see  whether  the  horse  is 
properly  saddled  and  bridled, — whether  the  curb  chain  is 
properly  hooked  in, — and  explains  1o  the  pupil  that  a  chain 


—     GG     - — - 

too  tigliiij  hooked  causes  the  hor.sc  to  defend  hiiuself  ag;.iust 
the  drawing  in  of  the  curb  reins,  and  that  with  n  chain  too 
hjose  the  curb  bit  has  little  or  no  eflbet. 

Upon  the  command — ^'Rradij  fn  Afounf  !" — the  pujiil  stops 
sidewise,  slides  rpiietly  the  little  finuer  (»f  the  loft  hand  along 
the  left  rein  up  to  the  horse's  neck;  lie  then  will;  the  san:o 
finoer  divides  the  reins,  seizes  with  the  right  h.iml  the  upjier 
end,  draws  down  with  the  left  hnnd  the  sliding  button  towards 
the  horse's  nock,  and  thus  shortens  the  reins,  but  not  so  much 
as  to  cause  him  to  back;  he  then  throws  the  ends  of  the  reins 
over  the  knuckles,  and  prepares  himself  for  mounting,  as  de- 
scribed in  Sect.  4,  upon  the  command — ''3f()vnf !" 

After  having  settled  himself  in  the  saddle  and  put  his  feet 
in  the  stirrups,  the  rider  seizes  the  reins  with  the  right  hand 
close  over  the  left ;  he  then  lets  go  of  the  mane,  keeps  the 
reins  divided  with  the  little  finger,  brings  the  sliding  button 
in  the  middle  of  the  hand,  and  holds  the  latter  immediately 
over  the  pommel  of  the  saddle.  Whilst  the  left  hand  seizes 
the  reins  in  this  manner,  they  arc  drawn  upwards  with  the 
right  to  the  end,  and  are  thrown  downwards  to  the  right  oxer 
the  knuckles  of  the  left  hand,  which  should  be  closed,  and  the 
thumb  laid  flat  upon  the  breadth  of  the  reins.  The  right  hand 
is  placed  closed  upon  the  upper  part  of  the  right  thigh,  so 
that  the  thumb  lies  upon  the  knuckles  of  the  forefinger, — the 
little  finger  touches  the  seam  of  the  pantaloons,  causing  therc- 
y)y  the  right  elbow  to  be  taken  back  somewhat. 

Upon  the  command — ^^ Recall/ for  Dismounting^ — the  rider 
seizes  with  the  right  hand  the  end  of  the  reins,  and  shortens 
them  with  the  left  as  much  as  necessary,  but  not  so  as  to 
make  the  horse  uneasy,  throws  the  upper  part  of  the  reins  to 
the  right,  takes  a  lock  of  the  mane  in  the  left  hand,  liolding 
it  as  in  mounting,  and  prepares  himself  for  dismounting,  as 
prescribed  in  Sect.  5. 

After  dismounting  the  pupil  takes  a  step  to  the  left,  slip- 
ping at  the  same  time  the  right  hand  downwards  along  the  left 
curb  rein ;  both  snaffle  reins  are  then  seized  with  the  right 
hand  below  the  chin,  and  the  rider  takes  the  already  prescribed 
position, 


07     

SKCTLON  Hi). 

Special  in^t  met  ions  for  (juidhu/  ivifh  fhe  Curb  in  all 

f/fe  f/aiU. 

Ill  guiding  with  llio  cnil),  llic  veins  arc  kept  in  tlie  left  liaiid 
separated  witli  tlic  little  finger,  and  the  movable  sliding  but- 
ton is  ke})t  ill  the  middle  of  the  hand.  The  left  upper  arm 
hangs  naturally  from  the  ])ody;  the  forearm,  without  pressing 
the  elbow  to  the  body,  rests  with  the  fleshy  part  upon  the  hip; 
the  hand,  rounded  in  the  wrist,  is  placed  in  such  a  way,  that 
the  knuckles  are  in  a  straight  line  with  the  crest  of  the  horse 
standino-  straight,  so  that  the  nails  arc  towards  the  middle  of 
the  body.  The  hand  must  be  kept  close  to  the  pommel  of  the 
saddle,,  without  however,  leaning  upon  it,  and  about  a  hand's 
breadth  from  the  body.  The  right  hand,  as  explained  in 
Sect.  29,  is  placed  upon  the  upper  part  of  the  thigh. 

For  gathering  or  reining  in  of  the  head  and  neck,  the  little 
finger  of  the  left  hand  should  be  turned  upwards,  screw-hl-c, 
in  a  straight  direction,  towards  the  middle  of  the  body,  where- 
by the  rider  ought  to  feel  the  acting  of  both  reins  evenly  in  the 
hand.  This  movement  of  the  hand  serves  to  ease  and  raise  the 
forehand  of  the  horse,  in  starting  from  the  spot,  to  shorten  the 
step,  to  collect  him,  and  to  make  him  step  back. 

For  slackening  or  relaxing,  the  little  finger  is  turned  in  a 
straight  direction  towards  the  horse's  neck,  by  which  movement 
the  pressure  of  the  bit  is  diminished,  and  he  is  induced  to 
walk  faster,  or  to  keep  himself  less  gathered  or  reined  in. 

In  riding  with  the  curb  it  is  yet  more  essential  than  with 
the  snaffle  that  the  rider,  by  an  often  repeated  play  or  turning 
of  the  hand,  by  a  gathering  and  relaxing,  should  keep  the 
horse's  mouth  fresh  in  feeling. 

In  moving  to  the  ri(/hf,  the  hand  with  rounded  wrist,  and 
with  the  little  finger  pointed  upwards,  is  turned  screw-like, 
towards  the  right  side  of  the  breast,  by  whicb  both  reins  ought 
the  act  —  the  right  one  first,  and  a  little  more  strongly  than 
the  left. 

In  moving  to  the  Uff,  the  little  finger  with  the  wrist  rounded, 


G8     ^ 

is  turned  towards  the  left  hip,  and  tlie  elbow  is  taken  some- 
what back,  by  which  means  both  reins  ought  to  act,  but  in  the 
opposite  direction  to  that  in  turning  to  the  right. 

The  rider  must  be  instructed  that  the  hand  should  be  re- 
laxed after  each  turning,  and  brought  into  its  normal  position 
in  front  of  the  body,  with  the  thumb  uppermost. 

To  start  into  f/allop  rujht,  the  left  hand  is  turned  somewhat 
tovrards  the  left  hind  foot,  so  that  the  arm  is  somewhat  pushed 
back.  The  horse  then  feels  both  reins,  the  inner  one,  how- 
ever a  little  more  strongly.  By  this  means  the  horse  is  kept 
upon  the  hand  on  which  he  is  to  start  into  the  gallop. 

To  start  into  gallop  left,  the  left  hand  is  turned  in  such  a 
way  towards  the  horse's  right  hind  leg  that  the  hand  is  brought 
somewhat  toward  the  right  side,  by  which  the  rider  feels  the 
left  rein  below  the  palm  of  the  left  hand  a  little  more  strongly. 

The  hand  should  be  always  well  closed,  making  a  fist,  with 
the  fingers  lying  flat  and  bent  only  in  the  middle  joints ;  its 
position  must  be  perpendicular, — and  each  turning  for  a  move- 
ment should  take  place  around  the  centre  of  its  position,  and 
must  not  degenerate  into  a  pulling  to  one  side  or  the  other. 

In  riding  with  the  curb,  the  pupil  must,  with  each  and 
every  turn  he  makes,  in  any  gait, — walk,  trot,  or  gallop  —  be 
allowed  to  adjust  the  reins  without  the  right  hand.  The  inner 
rein  uiust  always  be  somewhat  shorter  in  the  hand  than  the 
outer  one,  so  that  the  horse  is  on  that  Jiajid  to  which  he  is  rid- 
den, and  that  he  is  prepared  for  all  movements  which  are  to 
be  made. 

To  execute  with  ease  this  adju.sting  of  the  reins,  the  button 
should  slide  easily.  The  rider  must  accomplish  it  quickly,  but 
quietly,  — almost  imperceptibly, — and  without  looking  down. 

SECTION  31. 

0/tIte  moving/  upon  fhe  spot — Iii(//it  and  Left  about — 
Bending — of  the  side  Passages, 

The  moving  upon  the  spot  (right  and  left  about)  and  all 
side   passages,   like   "jEpaule  en  dedans'',  '^shoulder  inside", 


00 

'^eliHUging  in  the  lialf-tnivevs",  '^cioup  inside'",  or  '>tete  aii 
iiuir",  and  the  '^avIioIo  travers",  are  executed  according  to  the 
instructions  already  given  with  the  snaffle  reins  und  guiding 
with  botli  reins,  modified  by  explanations  contained  in  Sect  oO, 

for  guiding  with  one  hand. 

To  bend  the  horse  to  the  right  or  to  the  left  hand  with  tlic 
curb,  the  rider  should  take  hold  with  both  hands  of  all  four 
reins  in  such  a  way  that  he  holds  two  reiiis  divided  by  the 
little  finger  in  each  hand, — the  snaffle  reins  being  outside  the 
little  finger.  In  this  position  he  proceeds  to  bend  the  horse's 
head  to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  as  directed  in  Sect.  19,  but 
with  even  more  care. 

Upon  the  command  of  ^^  Replace'  —  the  horse\s  head  is 
placed  in  a  straight  or  mtural  position,  and  the  reins  then  ad- 
justed as  before  in  the  left  hand.  The  ^^gathering  in"  of  the 
head  is  executed  upon  the  command  of  ^'•Head  in!" 

The  horse,  after  being  placed  in  straight  line,  and  kept  from 
backing  by  means  of  the  coutiter-pressure  of  both  legs,  is  gath- 
ered by  the  screw-like  upward-turning  of  the  little  finger  of 
the  rider's  left  hand  towards  the  body.  This  turning  by  a 
relaxing  und  tightening  of  the  reins,  is  repeated  until  he  brings 
the  head  into  a  perpendicular  position,  in  which  he  is  kept 
for  a  short  time,  and  then  by  a  complete  slackening  of  the  reins, 
allowed  to  rest. 

SECTION  82. 

0/tIie  Guiding  ivith  the  Curb  and  with  oneSnafle  rein. 

As  this  raethod  of  guiding  forms  a  kind  of  transition  to  the 
guiding  with  one  hand,  and  acts  more  sparingly  upon  the 
horse's  mouth,  it  is  essential  that  the  beginner  should  be  prac- 
tised in  it ;  and  more  particularly  is  it  necessary,  as  this  kind 
of  guiding  is  used  in  riding  young  horses.  The  curb  reins  arc 
taken  out  of  the  loophole  of  the  snaffle  reins, — the  former  be- 
ing divided  by  the  little  finger  of  the  left  hand  ;  the  left  snaffle 
rein  is  then  placed  outside  below  the  little  finger  of  the  same 
hand,  and  the  right  one  is  taken  in  the  right  hand. 

The  position  of  the  hands  is  such  that  the  left  one  is  placed 


—     70     

ill  front  of  the  middle  of  the  body;  the  right  one  is  placed 
close  by,  so  that  in  riding  to  the  right  it  is  at  the  same  height 
with  the  left ;  but  in  going  to  the  left,  it  should  be  one  hand's 
breadth  above  the  other. 

Should  it  be  necessary  for  the  snaffle  reins  to  act  more 
strongly,  the  rules  of  the  snaffle  rein  guiding  are  applied,  the 
pupil  shortening  the  snaffle,  and  lengthening  the  curb-reins. 
But  should  it  be  necessary  that  the  curb-rein  should  act  predo- 
minantly, they  must  be  shortened,  and  the  rules  of  the  guiding 
with  the  curb  must  be  applied. 

Another  mode  of  guiding  with  the  curb  and  snaffle  com- 
bined is  that,  in  which  the  curb  reins  are  divided  by  the  third 
finger  of  the  left  hand  and  the  left  snaffle  rein  is  placed  by  it- 
self outside  of  the  little  finger  of  the  same  hand.  But  in  this 
sort  of  guiding,  the  eff"ect  of  each  of  the  three  reins  in  one  hand, 
together  with  the  proper  co-operation  of  the/owr^/i  rein,  (the 
right  snaffle  rein  in  the  right  hand)  must  be  distinctly  felt  or 
judged  of. — to  perform  which  properly  requires  long  practice^ 
This  mode  should  be  applied  by  experienced  riders  only,  or 
with  young  or  newly  bridled  horses  ;  or  for  a  short  time  with 
liorses  whose  heads  require  to  be  raised.  It  forms  a  transition, 
rather,  to  the  mode  of  guiding  previously  mentioned,  which  is 
less  (Hnnplicated,  and  more  analogous  to  the  guiding  with  one 
hand  without  the  snaffle  reins  with  beginners,  in  guiding  with 
the  division  of  the  curb  reins  by  the  third  finger,  the  faulty 
conse(jueiice  usually  ])roduced  is  the  continual  bearing  upon 
the  left  curb  rein,  and  the  /w^//^r///a/ dropping  of  the  right 
curb  rein. 

SKCTiON  33. 

Of  the    Charge. 

The  charge  (carriere)  is  simply  an  extended  gallop,  run 
with  all  the  speed  of  which  the  horse  is  capable.  For  this 
purpose  an  open  even  space  out  of  the  riding  room  should  be 
selected,  where  the  rider  can  start  his  horse,  first  in  a  straight 
line  at  a  given  point  in  a  moderate  gallop,  and  prepared  upon 
the  command  of  ^^ March,  March  !"  —  to  start  into  a  full  run. 


—  n   — 

This  exercise  must  not,  however  ,be  too  often  repeated;  and 
it  should  always  be  practised  with  judgment. 

The  helps  that  are  here  brought  into  action  are  —  that  the 
rider  leans  well  forward  with  the  upper  body  —  that  he  uses, 
upon  the  command,  both  spurs  well,  if  necessary  —  that  he 
gives  full  liberty  in  the  reins,  dnckening  and  cxtendinrj  the  left 
hand  gently  fowarda  the  horses  neck.  By  this  it  must  not  be 
understood,  however,  that  the  rider  gives  the  reins  entirely; 
on  the  contrary,  he  should  always  remain  master  of  his 
horse;  but  as  by  such  a  violent  motion  the  neck  and  head  be- 
come extended  rather  forward,  in  the  same  proportion  the 
hand  should  be  kept  varying  between  the  above  mentioned 
slackening  of  the  reins  and  the  retaining  of  the  proper  feeling. 

Notwithstanding  that  for  concluding  the  charge,  the  order— 

i^Halt!" is  given,  a  sudden  stopping  from  full  speed  would 

not  only  be  contrary  to  the  natural  motion,  but  would  also  be 
very  injurious  to  the  horse.  The  ride;-  ])y  a  sharp  reining  in, 
and  a  strong  pressure  of  both  legs,  must  come  to  a  haltgradu^ 
ally,  only  stopping  entirely  after  a  few  paces  in  walk.  In  such 
violent  movements,  it  is  all  the  more  necessary  that  the  upper 
body  should  be  thrown  well  backwards,  and  the  rider  should 
settle  himself  in  the  saddle,  with  the  back  firm,  not  removing 
the  left  elbow  from  the  body. 

It  should  be  remarked  that  in  passing  from  the  charge  into 
gallop,  trot,  or  walk,  to  bring  the  horse  into  the  desired  gait, 
the  reining  in  must  not  be  done  so  sharply  as  at  the  command 

In  the  charge  a  horse  can  pass  over  a  distance  of  600  paces 
in  a  minute. 

SECTION  31. 

Of  the  Charge  and  jumping  over  Ditches. 

As  the  rider  may  find  himself  in  a  position  compelling  him 
to  leap  a  fence  or  a  ditch,  and  that  he  must  clear  it  in  height 
as  well  as  in  breadth,  it  is  therefore  necessary  to  prepare  him 
for  this  movement,  so  that  when  the  occasion  arrives  he  shcill 
not  be  embarrassed, 


It  is  cs«ontial  that  the  iiretlful  helps  be  given  cahnly,  aiul 
not  with  violence,  us  otherwise  the  horse  iiiight  easily  get  an 
aversion  to  this  movement  ;  nor  shonhl  he  JoJvanee  hi'.stily, 
and  thereby  make  an  insecure  le.i]>,  which  might  bring  him 
out  of  the  rider's  <e'ommand. 

For  leaping,  it  is  well  at  lirst  to  i)laee  a  [lole  on  the  ground, 
walk  the  horse  over  it  several  times,  then  raise  it  gradually  to 
about  two  I'eet,  and  by  and  by  higher  still.  The  rider  advances 
in  the  walk,  brings  his  hand  a  little  forward  from  the  bodv, 
shortens  the  reins  and  keeps  them  even,  so  that  the  horse  re- 
mains in  a  straight  line.  lie  then  presses  f/u'(/h,  Ir<j^  and  calf 
firmly  together,  and  bringing  tlie  stirrups  further  back,  keeps 
the  sent  already  described.  A  little  more  liberty  is  given  on 
coming  close  to  tlie  pule,  and  the  horse  is  driven  with  both  legs 
(or  spurs)  according  to  his  temperament.  The  upper  body,  in 
order  not  to  be  thrown  forward  by  the  jerk,  is  held  high  and 
a  little  backwards.  After  the  leap  is  made,  the  rider  walks 
his  horse  on. 

In  jumping  during  the  trot  or  gallop,  the  horse  must  not  be 
allowed  to  hurry. 

An  inexperienced  rider  should  leap  with  the  snaffle  reins 
only,  until  he  has  acquired  a  seat  that  is  sufficiently  (juiet  and 
firm. 

In  jumping  over  a  ditch,  the  pupil  should  be  taught  not  to 
lean  back  or  hang  upon  the  reins,  but  as  the  jump  is  more  in 
length,  he  should  follow  the  movements  of  the  horse.  At  first 
he  slnmld  not  be  confused  with  a  mass  of  rules,  (and  the  ex- 
planations thereof)  which  are  to  be  observed ;  it  is  sufficient 
to  recommend  to  him  quietness,  resolution,  and  firmness  in  the 
seat;  the  rest  will  come  of  itself  by  repeated  exercises.  The 
best  thing  the  rider  can  do  is  not  to  (h'sfnrh  the  home  in 
jiimpivg. 

s  Kirn  ON  v>h. 

Of  Sivimmiuf/  on  ITorsehacJc. 

if  the  rider  should  be  compelled  to  ford  or  swim  over  a 
river,  he  must  do  it  with  the  curb  reins  cntircfi/  loose.     The 


78 

horse  should  be  guided  with  the  suaffle  only,  aud  not  in  a 
straight  line  across,  but  rather  downwards  with  the  current; 
he  must  hold  tight  to  the  mane,  and  permit  himself  to  be  car- 
ried as  much  as  possible  out  of  the  water ;  he  should  not  look 
into  the  water,  but  upwards,  in  order  not  to  become  dizzy. 

Should  the  rider  be  swept  out  of  his  saddle,  he  can  yet  hold 
on  to  the  mane,  and  thus  keep  himself  above  water,  but  he 
must  be  careful  to  avoid  the  stroke  of  the  horse's  feet.  Should 
he  lose  even  this  hold,  in  such  extremity  he  should  endeavour  to 
gragp  the  tail,  and  suffer  himself  to  be  guided  entirely  by  the 
horse. 


On  Bridling. 


The  horse's  backbone  is  the  main  pillar  of  his  body,  the  head 
being  as  it  were,  the  handle,  while  the  extremities  are  append- 
ages to  it. 

The  best  method  of  controlling  the  head,  and  through  this 
the  spinal  column  and  whole  body  of  the  horse,  is  by  means  of 
the  curb  bit  and  bridle.  By  the  curb,  whether  for  riding  or 
driving,  is  meant  the  entire  iron  mouthpiece  (called  also  the 
hit,  PI.  1,  Fig.  1)  by  which,  in  connection  with  the  reins 
buckled  to  it,  the  animal  is  guided  by  the  hand  of  the  rider 
or  driver. 

The  curb  bit  is  divided  into  : 

(a)  the  two  eyes;  the  openings,  of  whatever  form,  into 

which  the  cheek  straps  are  buckled ; 
(/>)  the  two  hooJi  holes;  these  are  sometimes  dispensed 

with ; 
(c-)  the  two  hoohs;    the  right  one  being  called    "long 
joined",  if  united  with  the  curb  chain  ; 
{d,  d)  the  upper  branches,  of  the  lever; 
(e,  c)  the  Joioer  Iranehes,       „         ,, 
(/)  the  tenon  holes  by  which  the  mouthpiece  is  inserted 

into  and  riveted  to  the  levers; 
(fj)  the  mouthpiece,  or  barrel,  with  its  two  heads,  over 
which  are  adjusted,  in  uniform  or  parade  bridles, 
two  brass  buckles,   rosettes,   crests  or  other  oriia- 
,    ments ; 


(D 

To  increase  the  effect  of  the  mouthpiece  or  larrel, 
rings  or  rollers  of  different  shapes  are  sometimes  ad- 
ded to  it; 
(A)  the  two  hooks,  fo  which  the  reins  are  to  be  buckled; 
when  these  are   not  suitablOj  rings  or  swivels    are 
added ; 
(i)  the   curb   chain.     (To  the   oldfashioned  bits,  with 
jointed  mouthpieces,  there  were  attached  lip  chains 
to  support  the  lower  branches.    There  are  some  bits 
which  have  at  each  end  of  the  barrel  or  mouthpiece 
a  ring  or  hole  for  the  attachment  of  the  snaffle  reins; 
these  are  called  sight  holes.  (PI.  I,  x,  Fig.  10.) 
The  mechanical  principle  involved  in  the  operation  of  the 
curb  bit  is  that  of  the  lever.     Each  branch  represents  a  lever 
of  the  second  order;  the  fulcrum  being  at  the  eye,  where  the 
curb  chain  is  attached,  the  power  at  the  hook,  ring  or  swivel 
to  which  the  reins  are  buckled,  and  the  weight  at  the  point 
where  the  mouthpiece  or  barrel  is  inserted.  It  is  at  this  latter 
point  that  the  two  branches  or  levers,  immovably  united  by  the 
mouthpiece,  and  thus  acting  in  concert,  bear  upon  the  horse's 
jaw  when  the  reins  are  tightened  or  drawn  backwards.     The 
curb  chain  serves  to  determine  the  resting  point  for  the  levers, 
and  is  indispensable,  not  only  for  this  reason,  but  also  because 
by  increasing  the  effect  of  the  mouthpiece  upon  the  jaw,  it 
creates  a  gentle  counter-pressure  upon  the  curb  chain  groove, 
and  over  bridling  is  in  a  measure  prevented.     Without  the 
curb  chain,  the  bit  would  have  no  leverage,  and  lie  too  loosely, 
which  is  called  a  ^^falling  through"  of  the  bit. 

If  the  curb  chain  is  too  tightly  drawn,  so  that  the  bit  has 
no  play  in  the  mouth,  the  branches  become  levers  of  the  first 
order,  the  fulcrum  being  transferred  to  the  point  of  attach- 
ment of  the  barrel,  and  the  weight  to  the  eyes,  when  the  curb 
chain  is  hooked  on ;  the  force  is  still  exerted  by  the  reins  at 
the  rings  or  swivels.  The  branches  will  now  stick  out  for- 
wards, and  the  action  of  the  reins  will  be  rendered  very  severe. 
But  the  horse  will  not  answer  to  the  tightening  of  the  reins 
by  bringing  his  head  in  ;  his  lower  jaw  is  raised  by  the  excess- 


ive  pressure  of  the  curb  chain,  and  he  will  push  his  nose  out, 
and  shake  his  head. 

In  correct  bridling,  the  bearing  of  the  mouthj^iece  must  be 
stronger  than  that  of  the  curb  chain,  the  branches  acting,  as 
before  stated,  as  levers  of  the  second  order.  Hence  the  curb 
chain  must  be  so  loose  that,  the  reins  being  perfectly  slack, 
two  fingers  cnn  be  easily  inserted  between  it  and  the  jaw.  In 
this  way  the  drawing  in  of  the  reins  does  not  immediately  bring 
the  bit  into  operation,  but  the  branches  have  some  play,  reced- 
ing 30°  or  35°  before  the  pressure  is  begun.  This  play  is  of 
much  importance,  in  order  that  the  drawing  in  of  the  reins 
may  act  upon  the  lever  at  a  right  angle.  And  the  pressure 
begins  only  when  the  curb  chain  bears  on  the  groove  in  the 
jaw  above  the  lip,  thus  fixing  the  '^eyes",  at  which  the  fulcrum 
is  to  be.  Now,  by  the  pressure  of  the  mouthpiece  upon  the 
jaw,  the  horse  feels  the  eff'ect  of  the  rider's  hands  upon  the 
neck,  and  yields  to  it  by  bending  the  latter;  which  is  called 
^^gatheriug  in"  or  ^'bridling  in  the  head". 

By  an  immoderate,  rough,  or  too  long-continued  drawing  in 
of  the  reins,  the  same  effect  may  be  produced  as  by  fastening 
the  curb  chain  too  tightly  -,  viz  ,  the  fulcrum  be  transferred  to 
the  point  of  attachment  of  the  mouthpiece,  thus  making  the 
branch  a  lever  of  the  first  order.  As  soon  as  the  horse  yields 
to  the  pressure  of  the  mouthpiece  upon  the  jaw,  either  by 
gathering  his  head  in  or  by  turning,  the  reins  should  be  re- 
laxed simultaneously,  but  almost  imperceptibly.  If  this  be  not 
done,  or  should  the  tightening  of  the  reins  be  continued,  or 
excessively  increased,  the  horse  cannot  yield  by  reason  of  his 
structure  and  position ;  he  must  therefore  push  forward  against 
the  reins ;  the  fulcrum  of  the  curb  is  shifted  to  the  mouth- 
piece, upon  which  he  presses  with  his  jaw ;  the  nature  of  the 
leverage  is  changed ;  and  the  horse  will  stick  his  nose  up- 
wards, shake  his  head,  bore  into  the  reins,  and  try  to  rid  him- 
self of  the  rider's  rough  hand. 

Since  the  bit  acts  upon  the  lower  jaw,  the  latter  should  be 
earefuUy  considered.  It  is  concave  or  spoonlike,  and  bears  six 
incisor  teeth ;  just  above  these  on  either  side  runs  upward  a 


i  i     

toothless  edge, — tlie  jaw  proper.  In  stallions  and  geldings,  We 
find  a  hook  tooth  or  tush  on  either  side ;  in  mares  this  is  ge- 
nerally wanting.  These  toothless  edges  end  above  at  the  back 
teeth  or  grinders. — Between  these  edges  is  a  semi  cylindrical 
hollow  called  the  tongue-canal,  in  which  the  tongue  is  lodged. 
All  of  the  inner  surface  of  the  lower  jaw  is  lined  with  a  smooth 
sensitive  mucous  membrane.  Exteriorly  or  behind,  it  is  con- 
vex, and  is  seen,  as  on  the  inside,  to  branch  into  two  sharp- 
edged  arms  covered  with  a  fleshy  mass,  the  skin  over  which  is 
covered  with  thin  hair;  this  has  below  a  padlike  swelling 
beneath  it,  corresponding  to  the  chin  in  man  -,  the  whole  is 
called  the  lower  mouth.  The  skin  just  behind  the  h.wer  lip 
grows  thinner  and  more  sensitive,  and  presents  a  small  de- 
pression called  the  curb-chain-groove. 

The  best  mouth  has  fine,  but  not  fleshy  lips,  with  a  sensitive 
mucous  membrane,  sharp  edged  jaws,  and  an  ample  cavity  to 
^orm  the  tongue  canal.  The  worst  mouth  is  one  that  has 
round,  blunt-edged  and  fleshy  jaws,  with  a  thick  and  insensible 
mucous  membrane;  the  tongue  canal  is  shallow,  and  often  not 
roomy  enough  for  the  thick  fleshy  tongue.  In  such  a  mouth 
the  edge  of  the  lips  lies  padlike  over  the  edges  of  the  jaws, 
and  prevents  the  proper  efl'ect  of  the  bit.  In  such  cases  the 
bit  should  arch  upwards  over  the  tongue,  the  arch  forming 
what  is  called  the^or^.     (PI.  I,  Figs.  1,  3,  5,  6,  7  and  8.) 

Upon  well  known  mechanical  principles,  the  longer  the 
lever,  the  greater  its  power ;  and  therefore,  if  we  lengthen  the 
lower  branches  of  the  curb,  between  the  junction  with  the 
mouthpiece  and  the  rings  or  swivels  for  the  reins,  we  increase 
the  power  of  its  action. 

K  thin,  uneven,  or  angular  mouthpiece  presses  more  severely 
upon  the  jaw  than  one  which  is  thick  and  round,  and  which 
bears  with  a  larger  surface  upon  it.  Hence  the  easiest  bit  is 
one  w^ith  a  thick  n,nd  round  mouthpiece,  with  a  low  crook  or 
port,  and  short  branches. 

The  sharpest  or  severest  bit,  on  the  other  hand,  is  one  with 
a  thin  and  angular  mouthpiece,  a  large  port  allowing  entire 


78     

freedom    of  tongue,   and   with    correspondingly    long  lower 
branches.     (PI.  I,  Fig.  7.) 

For  tender  mouthed  horses,  thick  and  straight  mouthpieces 
must  be  used,  which,  however,  must  be  hollowed  out  to  dim- 
inish their  weight. 

The  effect  of  the  mouthpiece  is  rendered  materially  greater 
by  giving  the  tongue  more  freedom ;  and  this  is  done  by  set- 
ing  the  plane  of  the  crook  at  an  angle  of  20°  or  30°  with  that 
of  the  branches.     (PI.  I,  Figs.  6  and  7  I) 

In  former  times  the  place  of  the  mouthpiece  in  the  horse's 
mouth  was  regulated  according  to  the  horse^s  hook  teeth;  but 
as  mares  do  not  generally  have  these  teeth,  and  in  stallions 
and  geldings  they  vary  in  position,  it  follows  that  this  rule  for 
bridling  can  not  answer  for  all. 

The  mouthpiece  should  lie  in  the  mouth  opposite  the  curb 
chain  groove,  slipping  neither  up  nor  down  ;  if  it  slips  down, 
the  edges  of  the  lower  jaw,  which  are  covered  with  a  highly- 
sensitive  skin,  will  be  much  hurt  by  it ;  it  should  rather  en- 
close the  whole  lower  jaw  evenly,  so  that  the  pressure  is 
equally  divided  upon  all  points  of  the  curb  chain  groove. 

The  best  curb  chains  are  the  so  called  light,  narrow  meshed 
and  double  eyed,  because  they  lie  flat  and  act  evenly,  with  an 
equal  pressure,  and  fit  smoothly. 

The  icorst  curb  chains  are  those  formed  of  wide,  heavy  and 
largely  rounded  rings,  the  links  of  which  act  only  on  isolated 
points  in  the  groove,  -and  not  having  there  sufficient  room, 
cause  at  the  same  time,  great  pain.  The  curb  chain  ought, 
especially,  with  sensitive  horses,  to  be  covered  with  soft  leather, 
or  replaced  by  a  leather  strap,  which  will  act  more  gently  than 
an  iron  chain. 

Should  the  curb  chain  tend  to  slip  up,  on  account  of  the 
bad  fitting  of  the  bit,  and  should  there  be  no  means  to  easily 
replace  the  latter,  it  is  well  then  to  pass  a  lip  strap  through 
the  middle  link  of  the  curb  chain,  and  to  fasten  it,  lightly 
drawn,  to  the  bridle  ring  on  either  side  This  will  prevent  the 
shifting  upwards  of  the  curb  chain,  and  likewise  keep  the 
horse  from  catching  the  lower  branches  with  his  lips. 


^ 79     

If  we  pass  through  the  hvo  points  d— d  (PL  I/.Fig.l,  3,  4,55) 
in  which  the  mouthpiece  bears  upon  the  jaws,  a  straight  line 
touching  the  branches,  which  is  called  the  dividing  line  m — m, 
we  divide  them  into  the  upper  and  lower  branches. 

But  as  every  rollerlike  mouthpiece  bears  only  with 
its  round  surface  upon  particular  points  of  the  jaw,  and  as  it 
does  not  bear  upon  them  with  its  lower,  but  with  the  posterior 
and  upper  part  of  its  round  surface,  it  is  evident  that  with  the 
round  and  especially  with  the  straight  mouthpiece,  the  divid- 
ing line  comes  in  fact  to  stand  higher,  almost  in  the  middle  of 
the  mouthpiece  (PI.  I,  Fig.  2,  3,  4,  5,  n — n)  which  is  to  be 
aimed  at  more  or  less  with  all  other  round  forms  of  the  mouth- 
piece. 

If  the  fulcrum  is  connected  by  a  straight  line  with  the  end 
of  the  division  line,  and  if  the  latter  be  prolonged,  it  is  then 
called  the  "line  of  the  curb".     (PL  I,  Fig.  1,  A.  B.) 

When  the  reins  are  drawn  in,  and  the  curb  chain,  through 
the  curb  chain  hook,  is  brought  to  bear  upon  a  certain  fixed 
point  as  a  fulcrum,  the  action  of  each  upper  branch  begins  at 
the  lower  edge  of  the  eye,  and  ends  at  the  division,  when 
round  eyes  are  used.  (PI  I,  Fig.  : ,  d — t?.)  This  shows  why 
high-arched  ]^outhpieces,  called  "gelding  curbs",  fall  through, 
and  why  they  do  so  the  more  easily,  the  higher  the  arch  of  the 
mouthpiece. 

It  is  therefore  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  the  action  of  the  upper 
branches  commences  in  the  middle  of  the  eye  and  ends  in  the 
middle  of  the  mouthpiece ;  the  latter  is  only  the  case  with 
straight  mouthpieces. 

The  lower  branch  begins  at  the  division  line,  and  ends  at 
the  ring  or  swivel  (PL  I,  Fig.  \,  d,  e)  ',  the  latter  in  many' 
bits  has  various  curves  to  prevent  the  horse  from  seizing  the 
lower  branches  with  his  lips. 

The  length  of  the  curved  lower  branches  is  in  all  cases  de- 
termined by  the  straight  bit-line  and  the  effect  remains  there- 
fore the  same,  whether  the  branches  be  curved  or  straight. 
If  only  three  points  (fulcrum,  weight  and  power)  fall  in  the 


80     

line,  then  tlie  bit  is  properly  arranged  in  this  respect.  (PL  II3 
Fig.  1-p.) 

If  two  of  the  points  only  are  set  in  the  vertical  line,  the 
power  of  the  lower  branch  is  shifted  either  before  or  behind 
the  line  p — q,  and  the  bit  is  a  faulty  one.  In  a  well  shaped 
bit,  the  right  and  left  branches  should  be  of  an  equal  length; 
they  should  stand  parallel  to  each  other,  with  the  mouthpiece 
immovably  welded  to  them  at  a  right  angle.  If  the  bit  is 
looked  at  from  one  side,  the  branches,  eyes  and  swivels  of  one 
side  should  conceal  those  of  the  other. 

According  to  the  laws  of  the  lever,  the  force  is  greatest  if 
applied  at  a  right  angle  ;  hence  the  reins  act  most  effectively 
if  drawn  upon  at  a  right  angle  with  the  bit  line,  and  if  the 
reins  are  pulled  upon  in  any  other  direction,  the  force  exerted 
is  decreased  in  a  ratio  correspondiug  to  the  amount  of  devia- 
tion from  a  right  angle.  The  lower,  therefore,  the  rider^s  hand 
is  placed  on  the  neck  of  the  horse,  the  head  being  in  the  right 
position,  the  greater  and  stronger  the  effect  and  vice  versa. 

From  this  it  may  be  inferred,  that  bits  arranged  with  tra- 
verses either  before  or  behind  the  described  line  are  ineffective, 
since  the  angle  at  which  every  drawing  of  the  reins  must 
act  on  such  a  curb  is  either  acute  or  ohhise.  (PI.  IT, 
Fig.  1.) 

A  horseman  who  wishes  to  fit  his  horse's  mouth  properly 
with  a  bit  should  examine  the  structure  of  the  horse's  mouth 
first,  and  then  take  the  measure  of  its  various  parts.  This 
measurement  may  be  made  in  two  ways.  The  rider  stands  in 
front  of  the  horse,  facing  him,  and  provided  with  a  round  stick 
12  or  15  inches  long.  He  introduces  this  stick  crosswise  into 
the  horse's  mouth,  over  the  tongue  j  one  hand  grasps  the  stick 
at  either  side,  the  forefingers  extended  upwards  Now,  the 
stick  being  placed  directly  over  the  curb  chain  groove,  or  in 
other  words  being  exactly  where  the  bit  is  to  rest,  let  the  hands 
be  moved  towards  one  another  until  they  lightly  touch  the 
horse's  lips ;  keeping  them  so,  remove  the  stick  and  mark  the 
desired  length  by  notches.     (PI.  II,  Fig.  3.) 


81     — 

For  the  measurement  of  the  tliickness  of  the  jaws,  place 
yourself  on  the  left  side  of  the  horse,  the  left  hand  holding 
the  round  stick,  but  with  the  forefinger  extended  ^  pass  this 
finger  straight  across  the  jaws  into  the  mouth,  below  the  tongue  . 
and  opposite  the  curb  chain  groove.  If  now  you  hold  the  other 
index  finger  in  this  form,  and  keeping  the  two  fingers  at  right 
angles  with  the  scale,  and  as  near  as  possible  parallel  to  each 
other,  you  ascertain  the  height  of  the  bars  (or  lower  jaw) 
which  be  careful  to  mark  on  the  scale  in  like  manner  as  be- 
fore. The  lips  remain  below  the  index  finger  when  the  mea- 
sure is  taken  under  a  gentle  pressure. 

The  second  and  more  exact  method  is  by  means  of  Way- 
rotter's  Orimeter  (PI.  I,  Fig.  9).  This  consists  of  an  iron  bar, 
a^h,  divided  into  inches  and  lines,  having  adjusted  at  right 
angles  to  it  two  side  branches,  likewise  of  iron,  bent  outwards 
above,  as  at  e  and/.  One  of  these  side  branches  is  fixed  to 
the  cross  bar,  while  the  other  slides  on  the  latter.  At  h  there 
is  a  small  screw  to  mark  the  exact  measure  obtained,  by  fixiag 
the  sliding  bar  at  the  proper  point.  At  c  there  is  another 
sliding  bar,  also  with  a  small  screw  for  fixing  it  upon  the 
branch  cl—f,  to  substitute  the  right  index  finger  in  measur- 
ing th3  thickness  of  the  jaw.  From  h  to  d  this  branch  also  is 
divided  into  inches  and  lines. 

In  order  to  measure  the  thickness  of  the  jaw,  place  the 
cross  piece  of  the  orimeter  above  the  lips  and  beneath  the 
tongue  of  the  horse.     (PI.  II,  Figs.  5  and  6.) 

By  means  of  these  two  measurements  are  determined  the 
size  of  the  bit  in  all  its  parts. 

a.  The  width  of  the  horse's  mouth  determines  the  width  of 
the  bit.     This  principle  is  essential  for  correct  bridling. 

If  the  barrel  of  the  bit  is  too  long,  the  curb  chain  cannot 
adjust  itself  close  to  the  jaw,  but  presses  only  on  some  parts  of 
it,  and  hence  the  mouthpiece  slides  to  and  fro.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  the  bit  is  too  narrow  (short)  the  branches  will  press 
too  much  on  the  lips  and  jaw,  contusing  and  wounding  them. 

The  ordinary  width  of  the  mouthpiece  is  from  4  to  5 
inches. 


82     

h.    One  and  a  half  times  tlie  widtli  of  tlie  horse's  mouth 
should  give  the  length  of  the  curb  chain  without  the  hook  or 
long  joint;  two  or  three  extra  links  ought  to  be  allowed, 
-  which  must  be  divided  between  the  right  and  left  ends. 

c.  The  thickness  of  the  jaw  is  equal  to  the  length  of  the 
upper  branches  from  the  fulcrum  (namely,  where  the  curb 
chain  hook  is  fixed  to  its  eye)  to  the  dividing  line.  The 
usual  height  of  the  jaw  and  therefore  the  length  of  the  upper 
branches  for  use  on  horses  in  the  military  service  is  from  1  \ 
to  If  inches. 

d.  f  of  the  height  of  the  jaw  gives  the  length  of  the  curb 
chain  hooks, 

e.  f  of  the  height  of  the  jaw  is  the  usual  breadth  of  the 
tongue  canal ;  thus  the  breadth  of  the  so  called  "])orf'  should 
have  about  i  of  the  height  of  the  jaw,  in  order  that  its  angles 
may  not  slide  over  the  jaws,  and  thereby  cause  injury. 

/.  The  height  of  the  port  should  be  equal  to  the  half  or 
the  whole  of  its  breadth,  according  to  the  greater  or  less  thick- 
ness of  the  horse's  tongue. 

Every  port  should  have  below  all  the  width  mentioned,  and 
the  angles  strong  and  smoothly  rounded  (PI.  I,  Fig.  7). 

(/.  Double  the  height  of  the  jaw,  i.  e.,  double  the  length  of 
the  upper  branches,  gives  the  length  of  the  lower  branches^ 
which,  however,  according  to  the  structure  of  the  horse,  and 
especially  that  of  his  neck  and  the  position  of  his  head,  should 
vary  somewhat  in  length. 

For  horses  which  over  -  bridle,  or  by  bending  the  neck 
wrongly,  bring  the  chin  very  far  in,  the  lower  branches  should 
be  shorter ;  while  those  that  carry  their  nose  high,  should 
have  bits  with  longer  lower  branches. 

Jointed  mouthpieces,  as  well  as  those  called  '^Segundo  curbs", 
whose  mouthpieces  are  made  to  roll  in  the  branches,  are  faulty 
and  inefficient,  and  cannot  be  recommended.  The  mouthpiece, 
on  account  of  its  mobility,  has  no  fixed  position  upon  the  bars 
or  concerted  action  with  them,  and  has  therefore  no  accurate 
efi'ect  either  in  the  reining  in  or  in  guiding;  besides  which, 
they  often  injure  the  lips  and  bars.    The  corners  of  the  double 


83     

broken  Dessau  mouthpiece  even  wound  the  ydws.  Among  all 
jointed  bits,  the  so  called  Pelhani  curb  (PI.  I,  Fig.  1)  may  be 
used  to  the  best  advantage  with  half-brokcn-in  horses,  or  in 
hunting  (PI.  I,  Fig.  10). 

This  bit  has  a  jointed  snaffle  mouthpiece  with  large  fn'ffht 
holes  for  the  buckling  of  the  snaffle  bit  reins  It  may  also  be 
used  without  any  snaffle  rein.  The  eyes  of  the  bit  should  be 
round,  and  of  a  size  proportioned  to  the  breadth  of  the  bit- 
straps;,  the  latter  ought  to  be  a  little  smaller  and  be  of  good 
soft  leather,  so  that  the  bit  in  the  bit-straps,  as  well  as  the 
curb  chain  hook,  may  have  sufficient  play,  and  that  the  eiiect 
of  either  reining  in  or  relaxing  may  be  felt  promptly  and 
decidedly. 

If,  notwithstanding  that  the  bit  fits  properly,  the  mouthpiece 
lies  opposite  the  curb  groove,  the  latter  falls  through  in  the  reining 
in,  it  maybe  inferred  that  the  iipper  branches,  and  perhaps  al- 
so the  curb  chain  hooks,  are  too  short ;  if  on  the  other  hand 
the  bit  sticks  out  forward,  or  the  curb  chain  slips  up,  it  may 
be  inferred  that  the  upper  branches  as  well  as  the  curb  chain 
hook  are  too  long. 

The  Bridle  itself,  consisting  of  the  bridle,  snaffle  and  nose 
band,  should  be  made  of  straps  f  to  1 J  inches  wide.  Straps 
which  are  too  wide  are  burdensome  to  the  horse,  and  contrary  to 
the  rules  of  bridling  ;  while  a  too  great  width  of  the  reins  will 
be  an  impediment  to  correct  guiding  (PI.  XI,  Fig.  9) 

From  the  headstall  a,  the  cheek  straps  h  (PI.  II,  Fig.  9) 
should  hang  in  a  straight  line  one  inch  behind  the  cheek  bone, 
towards  the  cleft  of  the  mouth.  The  upper  buckles  should  be 
i  inch  above  the  exterior  corner  of  the  eye. 

Every  headframe  is  to  consist  of  a  front  and  nose  hand. 
The  front  strap  h  (PI.  II,  Fig  9)  is  to  hold  the  headstall  in 
its  proper  place,  and  to  prevent  the  sliding  back  of  the  cheek 
rir;!]).  The  nose  band  /  keeps  the  cheekstrap,  and  hence  the 
hit  itself,  in  proper  position,  thereby  preventing  the  gaping  of 
the  mouth,  to  which  the  horse  is  inclined  in  order  to  evade 
the  force  of  the  bit, 


84     

The  nose  band  should  be  buckled  so  that  two  fingers  can 
readily  be  inserted  under  it,  in  order  that  the  horse  may  chew, 
breathe,  and  have  sufficient  room  for  eating.  The  buckle  of  the 
same  should  be  11  inches  behind  the  left  cheek  piece ;  it  should 
lie  neither  too  high  on  the  cheek  bone,  nor  too  low  on  the 
nose,  as  in  the  latter  case  the  lips  would  be  squeezed  by  the 
use  of  the  snaffle. 

The  throat  latch,  e,  should  be  buckled  so  that  a  closed  fist 
can  be  easily  inserted  between  the  strap  and  the  neck. 

The  buckle  should  be  on  the  left  side,  and  at  the  same  le- 
vel with  the  upper  buckle  of  the  left  cheek  piece. 

It  is  better  to  have  both  sets  of  cheek  straps,  those 
for  the  curb  and  those  for  the  snaffle  reins,  cut  out  of  the 
same  piece  of  leather,  thereby  forming  one  piece.  "Whenever  this 
is  not  the  case,  the  snaffle  has  to  be  fitted  to  the  bridle,  and 
united  with  the  front  piece  in  such  a  manner  that  it  cannot 
slide  backwards;  in  such  a  case  we  do  not  need  a  separate  nose 
band.  The  snaffle  cheek-straps  should  be  shorter  than  those 
of  the  bridle  bit;  and  with  horses  that  like  to  place  their 
tongues  over  the  bit,  or  hang  them  out,  the  snaffle  should  be 
placed  highest,  and  the  bridle  should  be  adjusted  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  snaffle  bit  comes  to  lie  one  inch  above  the 
bit  (or  the  tongue),  but  so  that  it  does  not  pull  upon  the  lips 
or  produce  folds  in  them,  when  the  reins  are  not  drawn.  If 
it  Ite  necessary  to  raise  or  lower  the  bit,  it  should  always  be 
dune  at  the  upper  cheekpiecc  buckle,  and  never  at  the  lower 
one. 

Horses  that  liaiKj  the  tonyue  should  have  adjusted  to  tlie 
middle  of  a  well  selected  mouthpiece  ,  parallel  with  the 
branches,  two  spoon -shaped  pieces. 

These  should  revolve  freely  around  the  mouthpiece,  but 
M-)t  n)OYC  to  the  right  or  left;  the  upper  and  larger  one  lies 
tlU,vvls(^  on  the  tongue,  as  docs  also  the  lower  one,  which  lat- 
ter should  be  so  short  as  not  to  touch  the  tushes  or  hook 
teeth  (PI.  I,  Fig.  4— .s,  .s.). 

One  or  two  slender  movable  arche;^  of  iron  above  the 
mouthpiece,  or  two  small  chains  attache<l  from  the  port  or 


— _     85     

crook  of  the  bit  to  the  middle  of  the  upper  branches  right  and 
left  and  tightly  drawn  serve  the  same  purpose. 

In  order  to  produce  an  active  play  of  the  tongue  in  the 
mouth  (called  in  other  words  "the  champing  of  the  bit'') 
or  to  teach  young  and  recently-bridled  horses  to  accept  the 
curb  bit,  as  well  as  to  correct  the  habit  of  laying  the  tongue 
over  the  bit,  small  round  movable  pieces  are  attached  to  the 
mouthpiece,  called  "tongue  pieces",  which  often  are  of  use 
also  in  preventing  the  hanging  out  of  the  tongue. 

Correct  Bridling  is  based  upon 

1st — The  art  of  training  a  horse  thoroughly,  that  is,  to  de- 
velope  him  on  the  snaffle,  and  afterwards  with  a  well  selected 
curb  bit,  to  complete  his  education. 

2nd — The  examining  and  judging  of  the  form  of  the  horse 
in  all  its  separate  parts,  of  his  condition,  power,  proportion 
and  temperament.  A  badly  constructed  horse,  a  horse  too 
weak,  to  young,  or  worn  out  will  even  with  the  best  bridling 
give  a  result  not  satisfactory.  A  lazy  horse  will  lose  all  in- 
clination to  move  by  too  severe  a  bridling.  A  fiery  high-spi- 
rited horse  will  run  away  from  the  pain,  which  he  feels  if  too 
severely  bridled,  or  if  the  rider  be  weak,  awkward  or  unsteady 
in  handling  the  bridle. 

3rd — Skill  and  composure  of  the  rider,  especially  firmness 
of  seat  and  hand, — hence  for  the  rough  hand  of  an  unskilled 
rider,  the  horse  should  be  more  lightly  bridled. 

4th— Upon  the  proper  lever-like  action  of  a  well  selected 
curb  upon  the  jaw. 

5th — The  suitable  buckling  and  arrangement  of  all  parts  of 
the  bridle.  A  well  made  and  thoroughly  trained  horse  will 
go  well  with  more  or  less  carefull  bridling  ;  but  a  badly  formed 
and  improperly  trained  animal  requires  the  most  correct  brid- 
ling to  make  it  useful  and  efi'ective. 

The  principal  bridles  for  training  are 

1st — The  School  SnaffiQ  with  front  and  nose  strap  —  the 
latter  being  buckled  hclow  the  mouthpiece  in  the  curb  chain 
groove  (PI.  II,  Fig.  7). 


86    

Tke  cheeks  of  the  snaffle  bit  should  be  long,  and  the  upper 
one  should  be  fastend  with  a  loop  to  the  cheekstrap,  in  order 
to  keep  the  mouthpiece  in  its  proper  place. 

2nd — The  Cavesson  (which  is  only  to  be  used  in  case  of 
nessecity,  PI.  II,  Fig.  8),  should  have  a  throat  lash  a  —  and 
lower  down  another  one  6,  buckled  immediately  below  the 
main  bridle.  The  nose  plate  of  the  cavesson  should  not  be 
indented;  on  the  contrary,  it  should  be  soft  and  padded  with 
leather,  so  as  to  press  equally  on  all  parts.  Its  proper  place 
is  on  the  nose  bone,  but  not  too  low,  lest  it  bear  on  the  nose 
cartilages.  The  noseband  of  the  cavesson,  like  that  of  the  snaffle, 
should  be  buckled  below  the- mouthpiece  on  the  curb  chain 
groove,  so  as  not  to  be  in  the  way  of  the  bit  If  the  rider  for 
special  reasons  should  be  obliged  to  buckle  the  cavesson  nose- 
band above  the  mouthpiece,  the  (metal)  noseplate  should  be 
placed  high  up,  so  that  in  drawing  the  reins  the  mouthpiece 
will  not  lie  upon  the  cavesson  noseband,  and  so  wound  the 
edges  of  the  horse's  mouth. 

3rd — To  find  the  proper  dimensions  of  the  curb  bit,  a  test 
hit  is  often  used.  One  prepared  by  Gen.  A.  von  Najdosy,  of 
the  Austrian  Army,  and  Commander  of  the  x\rtillery  riding 
school  in  Vienna,  (PI.  I,  Fig.  8)  is  so  comstructed,  that  by  a 
slide  (p — ^;)  the  upper  branch  may  be  fixed  with  a  screw 
at  any  height  that  is  desired.  The  width  may  likewise  be  found 
by  adding  or  taking  away  flat  rings  the  size  of  the  mouthpiece 
(q — q — q — q)  which  are  affixed  to  its  ends  at  either  side. 

On  the  lower  branches  there  are  at  a  various  height  holes 
or  only  indentations  (^ — z)  wherein  by  means  of  a  screw 
(o — o)  the  rein  rings  may  be  fastened  higher  or  lower. 

Bits  which  are  properly  constructed  for  the  purpose  may  be 
adjusted  to  any  size,  by  removing  the  branches  from  the  mouth- 
piece and  substituting  another  for  the  latter. 

When  we  have  obtained  the  proper  dimensions  of  the  mouth 
by  means  of  this  test  hit,  we  should  ride  the  horse  with  it  for 
several  days,  so  as  to  be  sure  of  its  correctness,  and  then  have 
one  constructed  like  it  for  permanent  use. 


Explanation  of  the  Figures. 

PLATK  I. 

Fio-.  1.  Curb  bit  —  straioht    or  curved  forwards  or 

backwards. 
A.B.     Bit  line. 
a.a.     Eyes. 

h.     Curb  chain  hook  hole, 
c.     Curb  chain  hook. 
d.d.     Upper  branches. 
e.e.     Lower  branches. 
/./.     Points  where  the  mouthpiece  stem  is  welded 

to  the  branches. 
(j.g.     Mouthpiece. 
h.h.     King  or  swivel. 

I.     King  for  the  curb  reins. 
l.     Holes  for  attaching  the  swivel. 
k.     Kosettes  or  other  ornaments  in  parade  bridles 
fastened  to  the  end  of  the  mouthpiece. 
m.m.     Division  line. 

D.  D.     Points  where  the  mouthpiece  bears  upon  the 
jaws. 
y.     Arch   of  the  port,   to   give   freedom   to   the 
tongue. 
Fig.  2.  A    straight   thick    mouthpiece    (the   easiest 

form). 


t'igs.  3  and  5.      Arched  -^gelding  mouthpieces'',  with  some 

degree  of  liberty  for  the  tongue. 
Fig.  4.  Mouthpiece  giving  half  the  degree  of  freedom 

to   the   tongue ,    with  s,s,    the   spoonshaped 
tongue   pieces   to  keep   the  tongue    in    the 
mouth. 
JFig.  6.  Mouthpiece  with  a  port  giving  the  same  free- 

dom to  the  tongue. 
Fig.  7.  Mouthpiece   giving   entire    freedom    to   the 

tongue  (with  the  whole    port)  r,r,  width  of 
the  port  below. 
Fig.  8.  Separable  test  mouthpiece  of  Naedosy. 

J9.jj>.     Upper  branch,  movable  up  or  down,  with  a 

little  screw  to  set  it 
q.q.     Additional  plates,  one  line  thick,  to  make  the 
mouthpiece  wider  or  narrower 
r.     Holes  for  the  screw  of  the  slides  on  the  lower 

branches. 
i).     Screws  for  fixing  the  slides  carrying  the  mov- 
able rein  ring. 
t.     Tenon  Dn  the  mouthpiece. 
Fig.  9.  Wayrotter's  orimeter,  or  iron  mouth  scale. 

Fig.  10  Pelham  bit,  or  snaffle  tind  curb  combined. 

X.     Sight  holes  for  the  snaffle  reins. 
Fig    11  Wrench  for  the  test  bit,  shown  in  Fig.  8. 

PLATE  11. 

Fig.  1.  Ourb,  with  the  lower  branches  in  the  line,  in 

front  of  the  line,  and  behind  the  line,  with 
the  corresponding  drawing  of  the  reins. 

Fig.  2,  Proper  bridling,  with  a  play  (»f  the  branches 

of  about  30°,  when  the  reins  are  drawn,  by 
which  the  effect  of  the  reins  is  applied  at  a 
right  angle 

Fig.  3.  Measuring  the  width  of  the  mouth  with  the 

wooden  rod. 


Fig    4  Measuring  the  thickness  of  the  jaw   with   the 

same. 
Fig    5.  Measuring  the  thickness  of  the  jaw  with  Way- 

rotter's  orimeter. 
Fig.  6.  Measuring  the  width  of  the  mouth  with  Way- 

rotter's  orimeter. 
Fig.  7.  A  properly  applied  snaffle  bridle  with  noseband. 

Fig.  8.  A  properly  applied   cavesson,   with  the  snaffle 

bridle. 
a.     Throat  latch  of  the  cavesson. 
h.h.     Jaw  straps  of  the  same. 
Fig.  9.  Horse's  head  with  the  bridle  properly  applied. 

a.     Headstall,  or  carrier. 
/     Cheek  pieces  or  strap. 
(J.     Throat  latch  with  buckle. 
h.     Front  piece. 
i.     Nose  band. 
k.     Curb  rein. 
/.     Snaffle  rein. 


Of  the  defective  Working  of  the 

Curb  reins,  and  a  Means  of 

correcting  it. 

All  writers  on  horsemansliip  agree  in  regard  to  the  move- 
ments of  the  hand  which  aerye  to  make  the  horse  obedient. 

They  state  the  manner  in  which  the  curb  reins,  when  drawn 
upon,  act  upon  the  levers  or  branches,  and  these  again  upon 
the  mouthpiece.  But  no  one  of  them  seems  to  be  satisfied 
with  the  efi"ect  of  it,  and  all  confess  that  the  mechanism  of  it 
is  at  least  imperfect. 

For  my  own  part  I  have  long  felt  the  difficulty,  I  might 
even  say  impossibility,  of  communicating  my  will  to  the  horse 
by  means  of  the  curb  reins  alone.  I  think  the  defect  is  to  be 
looked  for  not  so  much  in  the  form  of  the  bit  itself  (which  is 
80  various  in  style)  as  in  the  way  in  which  the  reins  act.  I 
might  cite,  in  support  of  this,  Plurincll,  Newcastle,  La  Gae 
ronniere.  La  Fosse,  Bohau,  etc  ,  but  will  merely  refer  the 
reader  to  them. 

Now  if,  in  training  a  horse,  a  curb  has  been  used,  with 
either  short  or  long  levers,  simple  or  compound,  and  the  ob- 
ject has  not  been  attained  ;  if  after  various  trials,  no  suitable 
bit  having  been  found,  the  horse's  mouth  is  ruined;  the  intel- 
ligent rider  will  resort  again  to  the  snaffle. 

With  this  alone  he  carries  his  point,  makes  the  horse  obey, 
and  keeps  the  mouth  sensitive. 


— -    9l     

If  the  reason  of  this  be  asked,  we  reply  that  the  snaffle, 
small  as  its  apparent  power  is,  readily  pulls  to  the  right  side 
if  we  want  to  turn  to  the  right,  and  to  the  left  if  we  want  to 
turn  to  the  left. 

An  order  so  simply  given  is  easily  obeyed  by  the  horse. 
His  head  being  turned  in  a  new  direction,  he  naturally  fol- 
lows it. 

It  is  otherwise  with  the  curb  reins.  According  to  the  pre- 
scribed methods  of  guiding,  if  he  is  to  move  to  the  left,  his 
nose  is  first  brought  to  the  right,  and  vice  versa.  To  test  this, 
it  is  only  necessary  to  take  a  horse,  whose  training  has  been 
wholly  in  drawing  a  carriage  or  the  plough.  His  driver 
has  always  turned  him  to  the  right  by  pulling  the  right  rein, 
to  the  left  by  pulling  on  the  left.  And  in  the  first  lessons  in 
the  riding  room,  it  is  the  same ;  he  is  turned  to  the  right  with 
the  right  snaffle  rein,  aided  by  the  pressure  of  the  left  upon 
the  neck. 

Now  if  the  horse  is  of  the  proper  age.  or  if  he  has  been  suf- 
ficiently trained  to  fit  him  to  bear  the  curb,  we  lay  aside  the 
principles  on  which  he  has  been  taught,  and  reverse  all  his 
previous  instructions.  For  since,  in  order  to  turn  to  the  left, 
the  right  lever  or  branch  of  the  curb  bit  must  be  pressed  upon, 
the  fundamental  idea  of  using  the  right  rein  in  going  to  the 
right  is  abandoned. 

La  Gueronniere  says  :  'To  go  to  the  right,  one  must  turn 
the  nails  somewhat  upwards,  so  as  to  act  on  the  left  rein.  In 
going  to  the  left,  the  nails  must  be  turned  downwards,  so  that 
the  right  rein  shall  act  decidedly." 

Comprehending  the  incompleteness  and  want  of  precision 
of  the  principles  he  lays  down  for  guiding  the  horse,  he  ad- 
vises keeping  the  curb  reins  separate,  one  in  each  hand.  Should 
the  horse  refuse  to  turn,  he  advises  lowering  the  hand  of  the 
opposite  side,  so  that  the  horse  will  obey  the  pull.  This  cer- 
tainly means  nothing  else  than  to  make  it  possible  for  the  horse 
to  turn  where  the  pulling  comes  from.  These  two  helps  for 
making  the  horse  obedient  are  therefore  directly  opposed  to 
each  other ;  if  one  is  right,  the  other  must  be  wrong. 


92     

La  Fosse  gives  the  same  rules  for  the  movements  of  the 
hands  as  La  Gueronniere.  He  also  teaches  to  separate  the 
curb  reins,  one  in  each  hand. 

Moreover,  to  refute  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  he  adds  :  '^Ex- 
perience teaches  that  the  horse  must  obey  the  pulling  of  the 
reins  towards  the  side  on  which  the  pull  is  made  ;  if  the  right 
rein  is  used,  the  horse  is  obliged  to  turn  his  head  towards 
that  side." 

He  argues,  with  La  Gueronniere,  and  on  the  same  grounds, 
that  in  exercising  in  the  riding  school,  the  inside  rein  should 
be  shorter  than  the  outside  one.  He  refers  to  the  effects  pro- 
duced by  the  little  finger  of  the  left  hand,  which  are  of  such 
extraordinary  delicacy;  and  proves  from  them  that  to  ride  a 
horse  on  the  right  hand,  or  to  turn  him  to  the  right,  we  must 
let  him  bear  upon  his  right  side,  upon  the  right  rein,  and  upon 
the  right  lever  of  the  bit, — not  upon  the  left  rein.  He  says  : 
"The  bit  should  bear  upon  the  part  which  one  wishes  to 
fix." 

M.  Doure  in  one  of  his  last  works  is  very  explicit  upon  the 
same  subject.  He  says,  that  the  best  mode  of  obtaining  a  cor- 
rect turning  is  to  take  hold  of  the  inside  rein  with  one  hand, 
and  to  give  at  the  same  time,  with  the  outside  one,  the  pres- 
sure upon  the  outside  part  of  the  neck.  The  first  of  these  ef- 
fects he  terms  the  pull,  and  the  other  the  pressure.  This  ce- 
lebrated ecuyer  ascribes  to  the  pull  the  greater  power. 

M.  Aubert,  one  of  the  best  riders  in  France,  in  his  treatise 
upon  horsemanship,  is  even  more  positive.  On  pages  82  and 
83,  he  says  : — ''The  effect  of  the  hand  upon  the  rein  and  the 
mouthpiece  is  only  a  direct  and  decided  one,  when  the  pull  is 
backwards,  but  this  is  not  the  case  in  pulling  to  the  side.'' 

This  truth  unfortunately  is  acknowledged  only  by  the  feW 
who  take  the  trouble  of  making  the  necessary  observation. 

To  compel  the  horse  to  make  a  correct  turning  to  the  right 
or  to  the  left,  requires  a  thorough  preparation  by  means  of  the 
snaffle;  according  to  Aubert  thousands  of  horses  are  spoiled  by 
indifferent  riders,  without  attaining  even  this  result.     Their 


horses  turn  to  the  right  whilst  the  neck  is  pulled  to  the  left, 
and  break  out  with  the  haunches,  hind  quarters  and  hocks. 

In  guiding  with  the  reins  of  equal  length  and  in  the  bridle 
hand,  the  horse  will  turn  to  the  right — although  the  left 
rein  produces  the  greater  effect.  Let  it  be  observed,  I  do  not 
say  because,  but  although  the  left  rein  produces  the  greater 
effect. 

The  sum  of  the  above  quotations  may  be  set  forth  in  brief 
as  follows  :  That  in  turning  the  guiding  hand  to  the  right  to 
go  to  the  right,  the  evolution  is  executed  solely  upon  the  left 
curb  rein. 

To  obviate  these  inconveniences  different  authors  recom- 
mend different  appliances^some,  the  use  of  the  snaffle;  others, 
the  use  of  one  curb  rein  in  each  hand,  which  necessarily  com- 
pels the  use  of  both  hands.  Finally,  we  are  directed  to  work 
with  one  hand  and  to  shorten  the  inner  rein  materially.  Rid- 
ing masters  make  use  of  this  effective,  but  inconvenient  plan, 
without  agreeing  in  their  teachings.  They  call  it  a  ^Hrade 
ucret!^ 

It  would  now  appear  sufficiently  demonstrated  that  it  is  im- 
possible with  the  present  mode  of  using  the  curb,  to  turn  a 
horse  correctly  to  the  right  or  to  the  left :  to  execute  which 
movement  requires  either  the  help  of  the  right  hand  or  of  the 
shortening  of  one  or  other  of  the  curb  reins,  either  right  or 
left. 

According  to  the  principles  which  form  the  basis  of  instruc- 
tion in  military  riding,  the  horse  should  be  ridden  not  only 
during  the  drill,  but  also  in  an  engagement  with  the  enemy, 
with  one  hand. 

The  other  helps  which  are  at  the  command  of  the  cavalry- 
man are  those  of  the  legs,  the  application  of  which  is  not  only 
as  a  general  thing  difficult  when  in  a  rank,  but  often  also  inef- 
fectual. 

Hence  it  follows  that  the  rider,  to  execute  a  given  order 
promptly,  can  make  his  will  known  to  the  horse  in  four  differ- 
ent ways  only  : — 


94     

1st.  —In  relaxing  the  hand  to  induce  the  horse  to  step  for- 
ward. 

2nd. — In  tightening  the  reins  to  gather  him,  or  to  make  him 
step  backward. 

3d.  —  As  he  steps  forward,  guiding  to  the  right  to  turn 
right. 

4th. — As  he  steps  forward,  guiding  to  the  left  to  turn  left- 

The  last  two  movements  of  the  hand  are  acknowledo-ed  to  be 
insufficient  for  the  proposed  end. 

Professional  riders  feel  themselves  compelled,  if  they  want 
to  guide  the  horse  properly,  to  make  up  the  pressnre  through 
the  pull,  and  for  that  purpose  it  requires  the  use  of  both  hands, 
or  the  curb  reins  must  be  kept  in  one  hand,  and  of  unequal 
length.  Both  of  these  helps  are  forbidden  in  the  cavalry  ser- 
vice, where  the  curb  reins  are  required  to  be  kept  continually 
even,  and  where  the  right  hand  must  be  kept  free  for  use  in 
action. 

How  often  do  we  find  that  a  cavalry  horse  refuses  the  turn- 
ing, especially  to  the  right.  This  is  only  to  be  accounted  for 
by  the  guiding  of  the  left  hand,  the  curb  reins  being  kept  in 
such  a  manner  that  they  are  more  favorable  to  a  turning  to  the 
left  than  to  the  right. 

I  will  further  illustrate  this  :— When  the  reins  are  kept 
quite  even,  and  when  the  little  finger  of  the  left  hand  is  be- 
tween the  curb  reins,  which  are  well  pressed  down  by  the 
thumb  above, — 

1st. — The  left  rein  is  kept  nearer  the  horse's  mouth  than 
the  right  one,  by  so  much  as  the  thickness  of  the  glove  and 
little  finger  amounts  to. 

2iid. — The  left  rein  is  better  supported  (sustained)  than  the 
right  one, — the  former  being  held  by  five,  the  latter  only  by 
four  fin(/ers, 

3d. — The  action  of  the  thumb  is  such  that  it  presses  down 
the  left  curb  rein  which  lies  immediately  under  it,  when  the 
hand  closes,  and  therefore  shortens  it. 

On  the  contrary,  the  effect  on  the  right  curb  rein  is,  to 
draw  it  from  above  downwards,  and  therefore  to  lengthen  it. 


95 

The  riglit  curb  rein  will  nearly  always  glide  through  the 
rider's  hand  without  his  knowledge,  and  he  will  thereby  prac- 
tise with  uneven  reins  (in  which  opinion  most  authors  concur) 
and  find  himself  under  exceedingly  favorable  circumstances  to 
make  the  turn  (o  the  Uft.  The  shortening  of  the  left  rein  acts 
naturally  and  vigorously  toward  the  left  side,  and  thereby 
facilitates  a  like  turning.  The  volte  to  the  left  is  for  the  same 
reason  mucb  easier  than  the  one  on  the  right  hand.  If  the 
curb  reins  remain  perfectly  even  in  the  hand,  the  volte  to  the 
right  or  left  (in  reference  solely  to  the  movement  of  the  hand) 
is  impossible. 

The  rider  makes  known  his  will  to  the  horse  by  using  power 
through  the  snaffle  reins  in  tmo  ways — the  drawing  in  (pull- 
ing) and  i\\Q  pressure.  He  should  m.ake  use  of  both  accord- 
ing to  the  well  known  principles  of  the  movement.  The 
guiding  with  the  curb  reins  is  nevertheless  just  the  opposite. 

It  has  been  remarked  before  that  according  to  the  cavalry 
instruction  the  right  hand  should  remain  free,  and  that  to  the 
left  alone  is  given  the  guiding.  If  the  horse  is  to  go  to  the 
right,  by  the  bending  of  the  hand  forward  and  to  the  right, 
and  by  the  drawing  in  of  the  left  curb  rein,  two  eifects  are 
produced:  ]st. — ^^It  pulls  the  horse's  nose  to  tbe  left,  which 
is  directly  the  opposite  of  the  intended  turning ;  2nd. — The 
curb  rein  presses  against  the  left  side  of  the  horse's  neck. 
This  latter  effect  is  apparently  reasonable,  but  is  very  feeble, 
and  I  deem  it  positively  lorong,  dangerous,  and  even  injurious. 

1st. — The  effect  is  lorong. — In  guiding  to  the  right,  the 
nails  turned  upwards,  the  left  rein  becomes  shortened,  and  acts 
upon  the  left  side  of  the  mouthpiece,  whose  port  or  arch  presses 
upon  the  left  jaw  This  drawing  of  the  rein  is  therefore  con- 
trairy  to  the  end  one  wishes  to  attain,  as  it  brings  the  nose  and 
neck  to  the  left  side.  The  head  and  shoulders  are  not  thereby 
directed  to  the  right. 

The  horse  that  has  been  taught  with  the  snaffle  to  turn  his 
head  towards  the  side  from  which  the  pull  comes,  will  resist, 
not  understanding  the  rider's  meaning.  Besides,  the  horse's 
shoulders  arc  bound  by  the  drawing  of  the  left  rein,  the  whole 


96    

forehand  being  kept  back  by  it.  The  turning  can  therefore 
only  be  executed  in  such  a  way  that  a  breaking  out  of  the 
haunches  takes  place. 

2nd. —  The  effect  is  dangerous. — The  horse,  unable  to  exe- 
cute the  rider's  will  promptly,  being  improperly  directed,  and 
not  understanding  the  help,  is  often  treated  harshly — pulled, 
pushed,  jerked  and  spurred.  In  this  struggle,  arising  from  no 
fault  of  the  horse,  the  poor  animal  is  apt  to  fall  if  the  ground 
be  slippery,  or  he  rears  and  perhaps  '^goes  over"  to  overcome  the 
greater  constraint.  If  such  accidents  do  not  happen,  the  ob- 
ject is  attained  generally  by  turning  on  the  haunches,  whereby 
the  hocks  are  apt  to  be  injured. 

3d. —  The  effect  is  injurious. — By  using  force  in  riding  a 
volte  (which  occurs  too  often  during  the  instmction)  the  loins 
are  strained,  the  tongue  is  hurt,  the  gums  are  torn,  the  lips 
are  chafed,  and  all  possible  diseases  of  the  mouth  created.  Be- 
sides, there  is  produced  injury  to  the  haunches,  weakness  of 
the  kidneys,  and  the  horse  becomes  harassed  by  the  oft-re- 
peated spurring,  obstinate,  unmanageable,  and  therefore  unfit 
for  use — working  ruin  to  the  horse  as  well  as  to  the  cavalry 
service,  and  a  needless  expense  to  the  State. 

If  in  every  regiment  a  certain  number  of  horses,  say  from 
70  to  100,  were  exclusively  used  for  the  instruction  of  the 
trooper,  and  if  these  horses  were  under  the  immediate  super- 
intendence of  a  "Captain  instructor",  many  of  the  aforesaid 
evils  would  be  lessened.  These  horses,  well  accustomed  to 
this  sort  of  exercise,  would,  without  much  exertion,  and  I 
might  say,  almost  of  their  own  will,  perform  the  service. 
But  this  reform  has  not  been  attempted.  All  horses  of 
the  regiment,  without  distinction,  serve  for  the  instruction 
of  the  soldiers — the  old,  the  young,  the  ordinary,  the  strong, 
the  feeble,  and  the  blooded  horses  are  all  mounted  on  every 
day  of  the  year  by  a  different  rider,  who  may  be  more  or  less 
heavy,  more  or  less  stupid,  and  with  a  hand  more  or  less 
awkward. 

In  this  continued  succession  of  mounting  and  dismounting, 


97     

it  is  impossible  that  the  rider  should  become  acquainted  with 
his  horse,  or  vice  versa. 

If  now,  we  can  show  besides,  that  the  helps  which  are 
given  are  faulty,  it  is  clear  that  the  result  can  not  be  other 
than  a  bad  one. 

It  might  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  observe  how  old  sold- 
iers, when  they  see  their  horses  passing  from  hand  to  hand,  to 
be  badly  treated  and  considered  as  common  property,  lose  the 
love  and  care  which  the  animal  should  expect  from  his  rider, 
and  which  are  so  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  the  credit 
of  the  cavalry.  But  I  am  digressing,  and  must  return  to  my 
proper  subject — the  mechanism  of  the  curb. 

As  was  before  remarked,  the  use  of  the  curb  reins  holding 
them  in  one  hand  consists  of  only  four  movements. 

The  first  one  is  the  relaxing  of  the  reins  to  give  the  horse 
liberty  to  advance.  The  pressure  of  the  bit  in  this  case  ip, 
entirely  annulled.     This  a  right  and  mild  help. 

The  second  one  is  the  shortening  (drawing  in)  of  the  reins 
to  gather  the  horse  or  to  make  him  step  backwards.  In  short- 
ening, the  rider  should  supply  the  eifect  of  the  moathpiece,  or 
aid  it,  by  leaning  with  the  upper  body  slightly  backward,  and 
by  pressing  the  horse  with  the  thighs.  This  occasions  a  slight 
displacement  of  the  seat,  which,  after  a  few  lessons,  is  suffi- 
cient to  make  the  horse  balance  himself  without  the  rider  be- 
ing obliged  to  draw  in  the  reins  too  sharply.  In  stepping 
backwards,  both  curb  reins,  by  a  slight  drawing  in,  must  re- 
main even,  and  the  movement  is  produced  by  the  pressure  of 
the  legs. 

With  regard  to  the  two  remaining  movements,  the  turning 
to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  I  have  already  fully  demonstrated 
the  incorrectness  of  the  usual  method  in  place  of  which,  I  re- 
commend the  following : 

The  bridling  of  the  horse  is  done  as  usual,  not  strapping  too 
tightly  the  throat  latch,  noseband  and  curb  chain;  and  both  curb 
reins  are  crossed  before  passing  them  over  the  horse's  neck,  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  crossing  takes  place  under  the  chin. 

9 


98     

The  right  curb  rein  operates,  iu  this  way,  upon  the  left 
branch  or  lever,  and  the  left,  upon  the  right.  If  the  reins  are 
then  taken  hold  of  with  the  left  hand  as  prescribed,  and  used 
according  to  the  before  defined  rules,  the  effect  will  be  the 
same  as  that  produced  by  the  snaffle. 

The  mouthpiece  with  crossed  reins,  acts  upon  the  mouth 
and  neck  in  the  following  manner: — If  the  hand  guides  to  the 
right  for  turning  to  the  right,  the  left  curb  rein  pulls  on  the 
right  branch  from  below  upwards,  and  from  right  to  left ;  the 
arch  of  the  crosspiece  presses  upon  the  right  jaw,  and  takes 
away  from  the  mouth  the  upper  part  of  the  curb  called  the 
^^eye". 

A.  contrary  effect  takes  place  upon  the  opposite  side  (left). 
The  arch  raises  (lifts)  itself  a6ove  the  left  side  of  the  jaw,  which 
is  thereby  relieved,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  left  curb  bears 
heavily,  where  it  is  joined  to  the  lever.  All  parts  of  the  mouth- 
piece therefore  contribute  to  effect  the  turning. 

The  horse's  head,  by  the  pressure  of  the  port  upon  the  right 
;3ide  of  the  jaw,  is  placed  to  the  right,  to  which  direction  it 
was  guided  from  the  very  beginning,  by  means  of  the  raising 
of  the  left  curb;  the  left  curb  rein  embracing  the  neck,  finally 
directs  the  whole  forehand  to  the  right. 

I  have  made  many  experiments  in  applying  this  method 
with  horses  that  turned  with  difficulty,  and  with  some  that 
even  showed  themselves  refractory,  and  was  successful  in  al- 
most immediately  reducing  them  to  willingness  and  obedience. 

The  crossed  reins  make  known  immediately  their  power  and 
effect  upon  the  horse's  neck,  and  act,  therefore,  as  a  sort  of 
preparatory  order.  As  the  effects  of  the  mouthpiece  become 
thereby  more  intelligible  to  the  horse,  and  as  obedience  is  ob- 
tained immediately,  it  requires  less  power  than  before — the 
hand  becomes  gentler,  the  rider  more  expert,  and  the  horse 
more  obedient. 

When  there  is  less  resistance,  the  power  requisite  for  over- 
coming it  is  proportionately  lessened ;  the  mouth  is  not  so 
likely  to  become  injured,  less  sickness  is  produced,  generally 
fewer  faults  occur,  and  finally  the  reins  become  what  they  ought 


99     

to  be — a  help,  and  not  a  punishment.  Horses  that  are  treated 
with  kindness  will  not  only  perform  better  and  longer  service, 
but  their  training  will  be  more  finished. 

Besides,  crossed  reins  cannot  be  thrown  over  the  head — a 
bad  trick  which  only  too  often  occurs,  and  one  which  is  ex- 
ceedingly dangerous.  In  lowering  the  hand,  the  reins  do  not 
hang  down,  and  they  cannot  become  entangled  in  action.  It 
is  almost  impossible  for  the  trooper  either  on  foot  or  horseback 
to  seize  or  cut  them  through.  Finally,  this  method  requires 
neither  different  instruction  nor  involves  an  extra  expense; 
and  believing  it  myself  to  be  the  simplest  and  most  correct 
one,  I  think  the  reader  cannot  fail  to  become  convinced  of  its 
good  effect. 

Should  I  be  mistaken  in  this,  I  still  assert  that  even  if 
long  established  custom  is  in  favor  of  the  usual  manner  of 
guiding  with  the  curb,  it  is  a  faulty  one. 

It  must  therefore  be  the  duty  of  every  intelligent. rider  to 
-study  how  the  imperfect  mechanism  of  the  curb  can  be  ob- 
Tiated ,  and  until  I  find  a  better  remedy,  I  shall  have  no 
^hesitation  in  j;ecomniendiug  that  which  I  have  suggested- 


rtaicH. 


